Ephraim's Story
by Yolashillinia
Summary: Novelization of FE8 according to Ephraim. Written 2009-2012. Complete.
1. Chapter 1: Unbroken Heart

Written 2009-2012

.

Chapter 1: Unbroken Heart

.

I am Ephraim. I am the Prince of Renais, son of King Fado and brother to my twin sister Eirika. I have jade green hair and eyes. The lance I wield is called the Reginleif. I like the lance.

If you want a description of the way I dress, too, I wear a light blue tunic, white pants, black boots, brown gloves, over which I wear a bracelet my father gave to me – not a girly bracelet, thank goodness – leather armour to protect my hips while fighting on horseback, a dark blue cloak with red lining, and dark blue chest, shoulder, and leg armour. On the chest plate is the Crest of Renais.

Now, I may be the Prince of Renais, but I'm far more interested in being a warrior than a king when my father passes away.

Which was why, on a certain day in the year 803, I was with the last three of my knights – Kyle, Forde, and Orson – and a small girl named Myrrh, who had joined us recently after we rescued her from bandits, and we were camping in a deep thicket somewhere in the north of Grado, which had always been Renais' friend, but had now attacked us. I was horribly confused, but I had to protect Renais, so I did what I could. I led suprise attacks and ambushes against Grado's armies for as long as I could, but now we were four, and I couldn't quite do that anymore. We'd been fighting useless mercenaries, anyway. We'd always been vastly outnumbered, but I used my wits and education in tactics to come out victor every time.

"Forde, how are we on supplies and equipment?" I asked one of my two 'social knights', the one with blonde hair and blue-grey eyes.

"It's not looking good," he replied glumly. "Our weapons are in bad shape, and we're running low on food. We can probably restock at a nearby village, but-"

"No, that's not an option. We're in enemy territory. I will not involve innocents if I can avoid it."

Myrrh looked back and forth between us both, but offered no comment. She had indigo hair in two big bunched pigtails and dark red eyes, and dressed in simple short reddish robes with a large, loose brown cloak and leather sandals. I sometimes wondered if it was either safer, or a whole lot more dangerous, that she stayed with us. She looked so fragile, about eight years old, but she had an incredible secret that meant I absolutely had to guard her. She kept close by my side, and rode on Kyle's horse when we were not in battle.

"Yeah, I knew you'd say that," said Forde, a hint of his usual smirk on his face. "I mean, it's because of stuff like that that we've stuck with you so far. But eventually, we do need to face reality. What are we going to do?"

"Word of mouth has it that the invasion of Renais has progressed quite far," reported Kyle from where he lay on a pile of leaves, healing a recent injury, a lance wound to his shin. "I've heard that the capital has fallen." He was Forde's best friend, rival, and complete opposite. His curly grass green hair hinted at mischieviousness, but nothing could be further from the truth.

My heart flew into my mouth. My father and sister… "Hm… So soon…" I said instead. Myrrh patted my shoulder and I gave her a quick smile. "Still my father is in the capital, and he won't surrender easily." I hoped my sister was safe, too. "Forde, Kyle. Our mission here is to harry the troops, to distract their eye. Hopefully, we'll be able to give my father and Eirika time to escape." I hoped my father wouldn't be such a stubborn hero that he would stay behind. "Kyle, have you heard anything from Orson? I sent him ahead to scout."

"No word yet, and it's about time he returned…"

"Reporting in, Prince Ephraim," called Orson, an older knight with long brown hair tied back and pale green armour, giving plenty of warning by crunching leaves and pushing branches. He saluted me and continued. "I can confirm Grado presence at several points around our camp. Also, a large battalion of soldiers has been dispatched from Renvall. We shouldn't tarry here any longer than necessary…"

"I see." A plan began to form in my mind.

"Seems as though we've certainly caught Grado's eye this time," said Forde amiably. "Should we retreat back towards the capital, Prince Ephraim?"

"No. We press onward." I smiled. "We're going to capture Renvall."

My knights reacted with the shock I knew they would. "Wh-what?!" Forde stuttered. But they started strapping on their armour, red for Forde, green for Kyle.

Quickly I led them out of the den and through the enemy formations. Orson pointed out what he had seen around, so I picked my route. My knights may have been on horseback and my own horse lost, but I could still run pretty fast. Myrrh rode behind Kyle.

"So this is Renvall, is it?" I asked casually, looking at the impregnable-seeming fortress perched on a cliffy peninsula jutting out into a cold lake. "All right, let's go."

"Um… Are you… sure you're quite sane, Prince Ephraim?" Forde asked cautiously. "We've an entire army after us and you want to charge their stronghold?"

"Forde! Watch your tongue! This is our prince you're addressing!" Kyle scolded him.

I laughed at Forde's earlier statement. The cavalier had yet to learn that the worst mistake an enemy could make was setting off with most of his force to capture a guerrilla's stronghold – we would simply walk in and batter down the last, inadequate defences. Yes, I was certain I was sane. "Kyle, please, it's all right. We've heard nothing from home," I went on more seriously, "so what harm could a little reckless besieging cause?"

"Prince Ephraim…" Kyle answered, apparently not understanding my facetiousness.

"Don't worry. I haven't lost all sense of self-preservation," I finally assured them. "Renvall holds an important place in Grado's national defence. If we can get the upper hand and take control of it, then Grado will waste many valuable soldiers trying to take it back. I hope proves useful to my father and Eirika," I muttered. Even if they won't learn about it for weeks…

"I understand what you're saying, but… can we do it with our current strength?" Forde was still doubtful.

I sighed, suddenly tired of arguing and wanting to chuck my lance at someone. Still, I gave him a confident grin. "Every soldier in this area is trying to find us. The enemy has us vastly outnumbered. Attacking the castle is a ridiculous idea. If the enemy thinks the same… then we may have our opening."

"You have a point," Forde conceded. "I'm sure Renvall won't expect us to attack with these numbers. Either way, we can't run forever. And we're running out of supplies. What've we got to lose?"

"Trust me. I don't pick fights I cannot win."

"Yes, sir!"

.

Kyle set Myrrh down in a clump of trees near the castle gate.

"We'll be back for you soon," I said. "Try to stay out of sight, okay?"

"Yes, Ephraim," she said softly. Her big crimson eyes stared up at me with concern.

Forde knelt next to her. "Hey, kid," he said kindly, "don't worry. We'll be just fine. Right, Kyle?"

Kyle nodded gravely. "Indeed we will. Have confidence, Miss Myrrh."

Myrrh nodded and trotted into the trees, her loose cloak flopping around her back, until we could no longer see her.

"All right," I said determinedly, "back up you get, Forde. We must fulfill our word!"

We ran into the castle. "Orson," I called him once we were inside the main ward.

"Yes…"

"Your wounds still haven't healed from that last battle, have they? Don't push yourself trying to follow my orders exactly. If we're defeated, you must return to Frelia. Understood?"

"Understood…"

"Let's go! Kyle! Forde!" I charged ahead. 'Practical' Forde spent much of his time looting, as I wasn't planning to stay too long in Renvall after we'd taken it. Orson took it easy, as I asked, and Kyle claimed his injuries had vanished. I kept an eye on him – his stubborn loyalty meant he'd fight to the death without even realizing it. I twirled my lance expertly as I cut through dozens of weak opponents. I was a little unhappy, because Grado had long been one of our closest allies – actually, with Renais being geographically in the centre of Magvel, all countries were our closest allies. But I had more personal connections with Grado.

As I reached the centre chamber of the keep, several enemies flung themselves on me at once. I ducked the spear of one, took the other with my leather hip armour, and cursed as my hastily flung javelin missed the enemy shaman who cast Flux on me and sapped my strength. Grabbing my Reginleif again, I winded, cracked skulls, and stabbed. The one survivor of that attack I let lie – he had been knocked out. I didn't like taking prisoners, but I liked killing prisoners even less. There were dungeons. We'd stick him in there.

The mercenary leader waited on the castle throne. "You think you can take a castle with those numbers?"

"Sure," I flung back, my chest heaving. "We just did."

"Imbicile!" the guy taunted. " You'll learn the error of your ways!"

"I don't think so," I said, sidestepping his sword and plunging my lance into his chest.

"That was too easy," I said to myself as I wiped my lance on his shirt. "I wonder…"

"Oh, sire, sit in your throne and let your humble servants adore you!" Forde declared theatrically. I snorted at him as he knelt to me. Kyle was about to give him a lecture, but I held up my hand.

"Forde, you mustn't be quite so goofy. There are times and places, even in war-time, but this isn't one of them. What if I didn't kill this guy and he was only pretending to be dead?" I looked around. "What if… say, Orson – he's standing right behind you – took it into his head that you were too annoying and decided to swipe off your head?"

Forde straightened up. "I understand, sir. I apologize."

Orson was looking at me strangely. "Don't take it personally, Orson. I wasn't questioning your friendship and loyalty. Forde, I'll tell you when you can relax like that. Yes, Kyle?"

"We've secured the entire castle. You were brilliant, Prince Ephraim! What a plan! What a battle!" he exclaimed fervently.

"I estimate at least half of the enemy troops are in the field. We took the castle, but we don't have the manpower to hold it in a siege," I said thoughtfully.

"No kidding," I heard Forde mutter.

"There's no point in lingering here. Let's continue on to Grado Keep."

Forde turned away from the window abruptly. "Prince Ephraim, things have taken a turn for the worse." He tugged on his ponytail nervously. "We're surrounded."

"What?" asked Kyle.

"Grado's sent reinforcements? So quickly…?" I wondered how they could have gotten word we had attacked so soon.

"What should we do?" Kyle asked me.

I thought in silence for a moment, turning away and studying the flagstones. "We must escape," I said grimly. "Let's get Myrrh and get out of here."

We ran out of the castle – at least, I did. The knights, of course, rode. It was as Forde had said – the castle was entirely surrounded with better soldiers than had been inside.

We had no sooner cleared the third bridge and were heading for Myrrh's copse when a Wyvern Master bore down on us. It was Valter, the most feared, infamous, and cruel member of Grado's forces. He always had a look of dementia about him.

"So, you've captured Renvall, have you? And with such a small force! Impressive!" he praised me, sounding like an insane older uncle. He purred, "You've earned your reputation. I must say, I quite admire your work. I take it you're the leader of this pack – the misguided Prince Ephraim."

"I am." I acknowledged him coldly.

"I'm General Valter, the Moonstone of Grado's Imperial Arm-"

"I know that," I interrupted. "If you've something to say, Valter, get on with it."

A flicker of anger crossed his face. "Catching up to you has caused me no small amount of trouble. We've reduced your wretched home of Renais to ruin, and yet… you and your little band of bravos continue to be a thorn in our side." Good, I thought. He's revealed what I wanted to know. "But that all ends here…"

"We'll see… You claim you've taken the capital of Renais… Tell me, how did you know I would attack Renvall?" I asked coolly.

Valter laughed. "Patience. You'll have your answer soon enough. Now, be good lads, and drop your weapons, will you?"

"Prince Ephraim, let us attack!" Kyle urged us. I didn't answer either of them. Either we would be killed, or captured. I wondered which would spend our lives better – or serve my father and sister.

"Listen to me, Ephraim," Valter continued persuasively. "You're a smart man. You know it's futile to fight me. You cannot win. You cannot escape. Accept the reality of your situation, and surrender to me."

"Surrender?" I asked curiously. The word had a bad taste in my mouth, but I was seriously considering it, nonetheless. I returned to silence and stood with my head bowed, thinking furiously.

Valter chuckled most unpleasantly. "That's right. If you do, I'll let you live. I hold your life in the palm of my hand. Do not test my good humour. Now come over here, bend your knee, and beg for your life. Show me how Renais dogs grovel!"

My head came up, and my eyes were like green fires as they burned with my hatred and contempt. "I think not." My voice was little above a deadly cold whisper.

"What?" Valter asked, rather confused. He had thought he was leading me along, thought he had me right where he wanted me, thought I was going along.

"I'm sorry, Valter," I said, changing my tone to sarcastic and taunting, "but I don't have time to waste playing games with you. So, we're going to knock you louts about a bit and then make our way out of here."

"Fool…" Valter hissed. "Have you gone mad? Do you truly believe you can fight your way past my wyvern knights?"

"Watch and see," I dared him. "I don't pick fights I can't win. Kyle, Forde, Orson, are you ready?"

"My life has been yours since the moment I took my chivalric vows," Kyle said staunchly.

"It's moments like these that keep me by your side, my prince," Forde chimed in cheerfully.

"What idiotic wretches you are…" Valter sneered. "Prepare yourselves to be destroyed utterly!"

I shouted to my knights: "We break to the east. GO!" I kept my eyes on Valter, knowing him to be the most dangerous of the pack of rabble we faced. I ducked his spear and twirled my own. He brought it down in a chop that I parried with my haft. My cloak swirled as I retreated several metres. In truth, I wondered how we would give the enemy the slip fighting every step of the way, but I had a plan… again…

I twisted and dodged more of the Wyverns Master's blows, fighting for my life against other underlings at the same time. I heard two loud dull thwacks behind me, and I began looking for a tree to get my back to.

Then a lance connected with the back of my head and I fell. My vision cleared enough to see Orson standing over me – it was his lance! I bared my teeth in an impotent snarl of rage and betrayal; then blackness swallowed my sight.


	2. Chapter 2: Prisoners

Chapter 2: Prisoners

.

I awoke in a cold stone cell. I stared up at the ceiling blankly until feeling returned to my body.

Then it became imperative that I sit up.

"Ow… my head…" I moaned, rubbing the spot on the back of it where I had been hit by Orson's lance haft.

"Prince Ephraim, are you all right?" called Kyle's voice.

"Mm? Yes. I'm fine. My head just still hurts where that – " I broke off. "Kyle, how are you? Is Forde with you?"

"Yeah, I'm here, Prince. We're all stuck in this room together. You've got a cell to yourself, though."

"I can see that," I said, standing unsteadily and leaning against the bars. Across from me were my two cavaliers, crouching in their cell.

"You've been out for a couple of hours longer than we have," Kyle told me.

"Any way to get out of here?" I asked, pushing each separate bar in turn.

"Nope, not from what I can see," Forde commented cheerfully. "Anyhow, it would be kinda foolish to try and escape just yet – they're bound to have extra guards with you and all."

"I see." I turned my head to hear better. "Someone's coming."

Orson clattered down the stairs into the room.

"Orson!" I snarled. If there hadn't been bars I believe I would have thrown myself on him and proceeded to beat the daylights out of him, but as it was, I couldn't.

"My Prince -" Orson began.

"I'm not your prince," I gritted at him. "Go and swear fealty to Valter, you treacherous snake. How could you do this?"

"Let me explain," he began again.

"I will," I growled.

"My wife is in the capital."

"Oh, so this is about your wife, is it?"

"They told me she would be unharmed, and what's more, I would not have to fight anyone anymore; I could simply be with her, if only I did one thing for them."

"You – you -" I choked out. I grabbed the largest loose stone I could find – which was no larger than a pebble – and threw it at his head. Even in my anger, I hit him square between the eyes.

"Is that the best you can do? Is the Prince of Renais reduced to throwing pebbles?" I raged helplessly like a beast for a couple of minutes. Orson smiled at the wall, not listening.

"I have to do one more thing, and then I can just be with my wife for the rest of this quick war."

"You betrayed your prince for your wife?" Kyle and Forde gasped in tandem.

"She's dead, you idiot! What are you talking about!?" I demanded.

A first flicker of trouble crossed Orson's face. "I… they promised me…"

"You gave your allegiance on the promise of Grado? The promise of something impossible? I bet it was Valter! You can't trust them! We trusted them up until a month past, and look what happened!" I cried. "I suppose you think they're going to be the winning side! I'm not dead yet, you know! Why, if I were only free with my lance in my hand, it would be in your traitorous heart!"

Orson gestured absentmindedly. "It's over there…"

"You'll regret telling me that," I said, looking over in the corner where our lances and Kyle and Forde's swords and even our medical supplies we had taken with us were.

Orson left silently.

I sighed and slumped against the bars, pushing my green hair off my forehead. "He'll pay. Anyway, we need to get out of here. I think I'll see if I can open this door, then we can open it whenever we need to." I undid my belt and, poking the buckle through the bars, stuck the tongue into the lock. It only took me a few hours…


	3. Chapter 3: It's a Trap!

Chapter 3: It's a Trap!

.

I finally got the door open. Kyle and Forde were sound asleep, which was no surprise since I could see stars through their window – I had none. They looked rather uncomfortable. I pulled the door slightly, trying to see if I could slip out without making a noise. My luck was good. The door were pretty quiet, and I managed to get out.

"Ephraim?" came a very small voice, from high up somewhere.

"Myrrh?" I whispered, looking around frantically. She hadn't been captured too, had she? I'd never forgive myself if she-

"I'm up here," her voice came again. I looked back at the window. There were dark fluffy pigtails silhouetted against the stars.

"Myrrh! You're all right!"

"I'm sorry, Ephraim. I can't help."

"Don't worry about that," I said. "I'm just glad you're all right. You just sit tight and we'll get out. No one has seen you?" I sat down on a wooden stool and began the laborious effort of opening the knights' door. It was a little easier than mine, since I was facing it this time.

"No. I stayed hidden, even when the Wyvern Master came and battled you, and your knight knocked you out… I was so worried when they carried you back inside. Ever since night came I've been trying to find you, if I could."

"Well, you did, and I'm grateful."

It took me about half an hour to fix the cavalier's door.

I kicked Forde gently. "Wake up, sleepy."

"Ughn… wa… huh?" Forde was always incoherent when he first woke. "Oh. Time to go?" Kyle stretched and yawned, then stood, fully awake.

"That's right," I said, smiling. "Grab your lance and sword and let's get to the stables." I seized my Reginleif and gestured to the door. "Myrrh is safe; I've spoken with her and she's waiting outside. Let's go, gentlemen."

We were pretty silent as we un-infiltrated the castle. All the guards that got between us and freedom we cut down and hid. The one maidservant who did likewise we had to knock out instead.

Kyle and Forde quickly saddled their horses as I kept watch on the stable door.

"Prince, won't you take a replacement for your own horse?"

I looked at the horses, then shook my head. "I'll be all right. I don't really want a replacement. Call me crazy if you will, but Lila was the best horse I ever had and replacing him would be a little heartless. Now, let's march on Grado Keep."

Forde rolled his eyes in the dark. "Are you sure you want to do this? The Imperial Three are likely to be there."

"Yes, and Emperor Vigarde, too, so we can get some answers. Come on."

We slipped out of the castle without mishap, finding Myrrh without trouble.

.

We had travelled for two days when I heard disturbing news. "My sister? Are you sure?"

"Yes, Your Honour," said the old man in the village. "My son, he come from Serafew and mention it – Princess Eirika is heading to Renvall. Word of mouth has it she's going to rescue you." He squinted at me. "Looks like you need no rescuing."

"Yeah, but she's my sister. 'Sisters are supposed to worry about brothers,'" I quoted her. "Well, that's very valiant of her. I guess we better get back and not disappoint her. Kyle! Forde!"

"Yes, Prince!" cried the two cavaliers. For once, Forde wasn't muttering under his breath. I suppose he thought Renvall was less suicidal than Grado.

We hurried even faster and reached Renvall in a day and a half. There was no movement in the valley.

"Well, let's just go inside the castle and see what we can learn. If she's captured, we'll have to save her…" I thought for a moment. "Orson! What damage could he do…?"

"Never mind, milord. We'll retake Renvall a thousand times on your order," Forde said cheerily.

"Only because you believe it can be done, now," I sighed. "The first time, I had to deal with your disbelief and the enemy soldiers."

"I… I am sorry, Prince Ephraim," Forde said awkwardly.

I chuckled. "I'm only teasing you, Forde."

We set Myrrh down in the same place as last time and ventured stealthily across the bridges.

We wandered through the halls, and I began to be either worried or suspicious when I saw no guards and heard fewer.

That was when I heard the bridge collapse. I ran to a window and saw the last of it.

I turned away and leant against the wall. "Why would they destroy their bridge? Can't they just pull up their drawbridge…?" A thought clicked in my mind, and I began to head back the way we came. Kyle and Forde followed without question.

I heard the sound of fighting; the clang of weapons on armour and weapons on weapons; the zipp-thunk of arrows – though the thunk was a lot less frequent than the zipp – the irregular clatter of horses' hooves; the shouts of dying men.

"Eirika!" I cried. "All right, men, we have two objectives. Protect Eirika and vanquish the enemy." Again, I added in my mind.

"Do you think General Seth is with her? He's the only one King Fado would trust to go with her; after all, he is the Silver Knight," Forde said.

I shrugged. "Are you ready?"

"As always, Prince Ephraim!" they both answered eagerly. Then they began bickering over which course I should lead them on.

I had to see if it truly was Eirika, so I ran towards the east corridor. "Follow me!"

We took one turn and ran into a whole troop of guards. They took a look at us and hesitated.

Kyle, Forde, and I ran right through them. Not much can stand up to a charge from a warhorse, and my blood was up. Now there seemed to be soldiers everywhere. The fighting was very noisy now.

In a spacious chamber, a familiar red-haired paladin was fighting three soldiers at once and doing brilliantly. I caught sight of him. "General Seth! You're alive!"

"Prince Ephraim! Princess Eirika is safe as well…"

"Seth? Seth, who are you talking to?" came my sister's musical voice from beyond the other room. She turned the corner, saw me, and came running and flung her arms around me. I hugged her back tightly.

"Eirika, are you well?" I murmured.

"Oh, Brother! You… You're alive! You're alive!" she repeated.

"Well, of course I am." She wouldn't let go. I spun her around once, then whispered in her ear: "Girls carry on so."

She gave a little squeak, followed by a tiny giggle. "I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "At least we're here. After we escaped Renvall, I thought I'd go and capture Grado Keep. When I heard that you'd journeyed to Renvall to rescue me, I had to turn back to find you." I grinned at her. "Looks like my timing was impeccable."

Eirika, however, did not see it that way. "I'm so sorry. It's so ironic… to come to rescue you – and get rescued myself. All I did was interfere with your plans…"

"What are you talking about? What plans? Nonsense. You came to help me, didn't you? Your efforts alone are enough to inspire me." I spoke with sincerity. "Anyway, you look like you'd need quite the beating before you really needed rescuing." I looked at the row of people – probably mercenaries – that were watching the two of us. Some of them looked pretty tough, but honest as well.

"Franz!? Franz, what on earth are you doing here?" Forde yelled happily.

"Brother!" the younger cavalier shouted back. They rode to each other and gave a back-slapping hug – at least, Forde did.

Seeing them together… one could really see the differences and similarities. The most telling difference was in the way they kept their hair, but one could see the boyish spirit in both of them. Franz was simply a much younger version of his brother. It was like Eirika and myself, except we were the same age.

"Ha! How've you been?"

"I should ask you that! We'd heard you were captured. I was worried."

"Worried? I ride with Prince Ephraim, little brother. Death will have tough time catching up to anyone who rides with our prince! But, it's not like we've avoided trouble altogether, that's for sure." They had dismounted, and Forde suddenly measured his brother with his hand, frowning. "Say, have you grown taller on me?"

"I have," Franz answered proudly. "I've also finished my training. I'm now a Knight of Renais! You just watch – I'll be on par with General Seth one day!"

"You want to be like the general, huh? … What about me?" Forde teased him, grinning.

"Oh…" Franz mumbled. "I still want to be like you, too, Brother!"

Then Kyle stepped forward to speak to Seth. "General Seth!"

"Well met, Kyle. I never thought for a moment that you could be bested easily."

"No, sir! And I never doubted for a moment that I would see you again."

"Kyle. About Orson…" I wondered how he knew, and then I guessed Orson had stayed in the castle and met Eirika and Seth, who was wary by nature, even of those he knew.

"He was the reason for our capture." Kyle scowled darkly. "Unbelievable, isn't it? But facts are facts."

"Yes. If Orson can turn his back on Renais… We remaining knights will have to work all the harder to prove ourselves."

"I understand, sir!"

"Let's go, Kyle."

"Yes, sir!"

I decided all the talk and banter and so on had gone on long enough. "Okay, let's go!"

Tirado was waiting for us in the heart of the castle. I took care of him easily enough. Then I turned to Eirika, who looked ready to faint with relief – oh, girls – and she hugged me.

"I'm sorry, Eirika. I worried you, didn't I? And you as well, General?" I said to Seth.

"Not at all," Seth said immediately, but that was obviously not very true. "We're happy you're safe. Prince, about Orson…"

"I find it hard to believe he could turn his back on Renais so," I answered. I let Eirika go and rubbed the back of my neck. "I am morally responsible for his plight…"

Eirika said something, but I didn't hear her, wrapped up in my thoughts.

"Ephraim…" chirped Myrrh. I jumped. I hadn't heard her come in. I was about to ask her why she hadn't waited for us to find her when I thought better of it. I realized that everything was safe now, and that was what mattered.

"Yes, Myrrh?" I asked her.

"Something is coming… Big… Dark… Many…" She sometimes had premonitions and visions. They had saved me and my knights more than once.

"Ah." I looked at my sister again. "Sounds like we should get out of here."

"Where did you meet this girl?" she asked. "Oh! Indigo hair…" I wondered why that was so important.

"That's a long story. For now, we must move." I whistled, and Kyle and Forde began making our retreat. "Suffice to say that Emperor Vigarde has enlisted some… otherworldly powers," I continued in a low voice for only Seth, Myrrh, and Eirika. "We must warn everyone of the danger."


	4. Chapter 4: A New Journey

Chapter 4: A New Journey

.

After we left the castle of Renvall, I went ahead slightly with Seth. "Please, tell me all that has happened, Seth. All I know is that Renais Castle has fallen. Tell me, has my father escaped?"

Seth bowed his head and I knew the news before he spoke it. "He has not. My deepest sympathies, Prince Ephraim. Princess Eirika and I heard the news when we arrived at Castle Frelia. But I am beginning my tale in the middle."

"Go ahead, Seth."

It was a long story. I shook my head when he had finished. "That's… near incredible. But Forde and Kyle and I – and Orson, until four or five days ago – we've been fighting Grado soldiers every day for weeks, until Valter came to capture us and Orson showed his true colours. And it fits exactly with what you say. Each battle they were a bit more interested in my wrist, in my bracelet. And for what? To destroy the Sacred Stone of Renais? To release abominable monsters across the lands… How could they seriously plot such a thing?"

"We… do not know. The cleric Natasha has told us all she knows, but I feel there is much more that she does not, could not know. If we could only speak to your friend Prince Lyon, it might solve much, but that is not possible with current standings and strengths."

I thought for a minute, and then nodded, agreeing with him. "Do you know how these bracelets unlock our Sacred Stone?"

Seth met my gaze for a moment, then looked away at the horizon. "I… cannot tell you how yet. King Fado instructed me to keep it secret, even from you, until it was needed. Please believe me, I shall tell you everything when it is time."

"I understand, Seth. But don't you go dying on us! I need the answer to this riddle sooner or later, and we might find it in the Sacred Stone."

The older man smiled slightly. "Die? And fail in my duty? Never, my lord."

Eirika made it plain that her opinion was that we should return to Frelia and tell King Hayden of what we had learned. I agreed with her. Kyle and Forde and I were bone-weary, in truth, and I was unwilling to put Eirika in further danger when she had already risked so much to come and find me. We sent the Frelian pegasus knight Vanessa on ahead to inform the king of our imminent return. I let Seth set up the nightly watches; I figured he knew Eirika's eclectic company better than I did. We made directly for Castle Frelia and journeyed quickly.

On the ride back home, Eirika and I walked together most of the days, sometimes hand-in-hand. I could see that an immense weight had been lifted from her, but I could also see the fresh grief in the back of her eyes. I, too, felt it. Father was dead, and we had only each other. My sister had grown in the last few weeks; her turquoise hair was long and silky as ever, but there was a new sad and unmovable determination in her big blue eyes, and she had forsaken her usual long dresses in exchange for a short white skirt, a red tunic, long gloves, and long boots, and the yellow armour she had worn when we practiced sparring.

Well, I thought I detected something suspicious going on, too, but I wasn't going to say anything about that until I was more sure.

We arrived at Castle Frelia within the week, a much shorter time than Eirika had said she spent looking for me. Forde rode on ahead over the last hour to announce our arrival, and when we did turn up, they were more ready than I had expected – there were many bright banners flying, and an honour guard – Hayden was obviously very happy to see us safely back.

Tana met us both in the gate. My sister's blue-haired best friend was dancing on her toes as she gave us both quick hugs, and then stepped back and tried to behave more princess-like. "I'm so glad to see you both safe!" she gushed. "It's like a dream come true!" She led us further into the castle. "My own brother is returning from the field soon…" Well, that explained the honour guard a bit better, I thought dryly.

Then came the deep irritating voice that I hadn't expected to hear for months, behind us. "You talk too much, Tana."

Tana squealed like a piglet (I'm sorry to say that, but it is the truth!) and tried to hug him as she had hugged the two of us, but Innes, grey eyed, grey haired, in a long pale blue silk coat and with his quiver still dangling from his side, Innes rolled his eyes and held her off with a long hand on her shoulder.

Tana didn't seem to mind too much. "I'm so happy to see you home well, too!" she cried, with a look that said he was not getting out of the hug later.

Innes gave her a superior look. I hated those looks. "What, you think those Grado slugs could touch me? With my bow, I'll clean out every last one from here to the capital itself." Hey, that was my job! With a lance. "Welcome, Ephraim, Eirika."

"Well met, Innes," I replied cordially.

Innes studied me coolly. "I heard Renais has fallen. I told you this would happen. Grado attacked because you showed them weakness." I scowled. Innes was as tactful as ever.

Tana was immediately at our defence. "Innes!" she scolded. "You know they're lost their father. How can you speak that way to them?"

"My apologies," Innes added. He began to leave, but called back to me. "Hear me, Ephraim. Our greatest goal is to defeat Grado." I nodded. I agreed wholeheartedly, even if Innes got on my nerves now and again.

"I'm so sorry," Tana apologized, taking Eirika's hand.

"Never mind." I smiled. "Innes has hated me from time immemorial. It's nice to see that he, at least, hasn't changed."

"You know it's because of his rivalry with you," Tana said confidentially. Yes, I knew. "He wants to be the best warrior, the best general, the best king, the best man…" Eirika and Tana whispered for a moment and giggled together. I wondered what was so funny, besides Innes, I mean. I considered her words. There was no doubt that Innes had always competed with me, even about the silliest things, but he was so proud that he could never back down to me, even if it meant he might look foolish for being so stubborn. There was also no doubt that he was very skilled at his own things, which meant I sometimes wondered why he bothered when he could easily outshoot me at archery, though I could throw a javelin and hit a target nine times out of ten and he would only hit it five or six times. I guess I was proud and stubborn as well, which didn't help our friendly rivalry.

I voiced my thoughts. "I still think that our favourite weapons, lance and bow, are different enough that he doesn't have to do that."

Tana looked back at me with her immense ultramarine eyes. "Yes, but we've all heard of your exploits against Grado. I think he's a bit jealous." I thought about that for a moment. I had heard of Innes' exploits against Grado as well, and that didn't mean I was jealous of him. Well, except for the fact that he had been commanding a real army, something I was still too young to do.

"You talk too much, Tana," Innes returned to us from wherever he had been with long slow strides. "My father would like you to attend a war council now. Would you like to join us?"

Eirika smiled, bowing her head slightly. "We'd be honoured."

We were ushered into the chief council chamber of Castle Frelia, where grey-haired King Hayden waited, smiling. It was good to see him. When we were younger, he had been like an uncle to Eirika and me. I bowed, and the others, including Seth and Myrrh, who I had asked to be with us, followed suit. "It does my heart good to see you all safely assembled here," Hayden said, rising and stretching out his hands to us. We all gave half-bows of acknowledgement and sat around the council table.

"Father, if I may give my report first?" Innes said, leaning forward intently towards his father, steepling his fingers. "I have taken the army south to deal with the Grado forces directly. We have driven them back, and in many places they are fleeing." Military reports always came first. For an instant, I did feel a pang of jealousy – with his greater numbers, Innes had repulsed the Gradonian invasion of Frelia, while I had, what, irritated them, demoralized them, knocked down a few of them, slightly disrupted and distracted them, and captured a nigh-uncapturable castle twice with only two knights. And Eirika's force, the second time. While my accomplishment was impressive, his was more useful.

Hayden smiled approvingly at his son. "Well done, my son. However, this still leaves us with the riddle. Why does Grado attack?"

I moved a hand forward on the table. Eirika jumped, beside me. "I cannot answer that question, but I think I have something that will help us." Time to put the cards on the table. "Myrrh, would you tell us your story?"

Myrrh, standing against the wall behind my chair, moved forward beside me and her loose cloak fell off, revealing her beautiful leathery brown wings. Suddenly shy with all the astonished eyes fixing upon her, she retreated back. "Um… Ephraim, you tell them."

I nodded understandingly. "Very well." I turned to the others, took a deep breath, and told them what she had told me. "Myrrh lives in Darkling Woods. She is one of the Dragonkin, of the tribe of Manakete."

"The legend of the Sacred Stones mentions them several times," said the king, still looking in wonder at the small girl behind me.

I continued my explanation. "One day, they felt a dark power flowing from the south. From Grado…"

Myrrh came back, gathering her courage and placing her little hands on my shoulder timidly, using me as a shield. "Saleh and I… we went to investigate." Saleh was, apparently, a Sage who was charged by his village to protect Myrrh. "But we became embroiled in a battle, and we were separated… I wandered… Some bandits found me and took away my dragonstone. I was helpless." She turned her eyed to me. "Then Ephraim saved me." They had been unawares when I found them, four of them, all with axes, standing around laughing and drinking over a winged child tied up cruelly with ropes. I had cut them all down without mercy and set her free. But there must have been at least one more bandit, for we never found her stone.

I waved in a slightly helpless fashion. "Her story sounded incredible, but seeing her wings, what could I do but believe? I think Myrrh can help us more than we know at this time," I finished.

"We do know that Grado seems to be trying to destroy the Sacred Stones," Eirika spoke up softly on the other side of Myrrh. "They have attacked my brother and myself several times, trying to obtain the key to Renais's Stone."

"Why would they be doing that?" Innes demanded, one eyebrow raised.

"The stories say that the Stones are all that protect us from evil!" Tana cried. "Just because it's a story doesn't mean it's not true!" she hissed to Innes.

King Hayden raised a hand, stilling us. "The Stone of Frelia is well defended."

Abruptly, someone hammered urgently on the door. Seth rose and opened it. "Yes?" Hayden asked the panting soldier in the door. "What is so important that you must interrupt a private council?"

"The Sacred Stone… It's been destroyed!" gasped the soldier, saluting tremblingly. "Caellach Tiger Eye and Selena Fluorspar attacked the Tower of Valni. We were wiped out."

"The Sacred Stone… How could this happen…" Hayden's shock and despair was plain to see, until he hid his face with a hand. "How could I have done this? We are in dark times once again." Seth closed the door behind the soldier and returned to his place at the table.

"Father…" Innes spoke up softly. "Selena Fluorspar… One of the Imperial Three… They're really serious about this."

"But even so, we cannot sit here in grief. We must warn the remaining nations that house the Sacred Stones," Hayden declared, his resolve returned."If Vigarde seeks to destroy the Stones, they too are in grave danger. We must contact Jehanna and Rausten. We must unite against our common foe."

"It's rather unbelievable, Father," Tana, the great defender of the Sacred Stones mythos, objected.

"I will go."

I whipped my head around.

"Innes?" Hayden was startled too.

"I will go to Jehanna," Innes spoke determinedly, proudly. "A visit from the Prince of Frelia is not something they can easily ignore. I will forge an alliance with the queen. You must stay here and guide the country, Father. I cannot let you leave in such a time of crisis. I must be the one to go."

"And I will go to Rausten," Eirika said, following Innes' lead without so much as a second thought.

I exploded. "What? Eirika, you know I can't let you go into such danger!"

Eirika reached in front of Myrrh and took my hand in hers. "Rest easy, dear brother," she said in her calm, soothing voice. "I will go by ship across the North Sea. There will be no danger." I glanced at Seth and let the corner of my mouth quirk downwards facetiously.

And I looked down in resignation and apprehension. "…I understand." And my mind was made up. "…I will head southeast."

"What?" was the general chorus.

Hayden was perhaps the most incredulous. "Attack Grado? From here?"

I nodded firmly. "We must stop Grado. If we can take her capital, the war will be over. And you've already divided up the countries to warn between you, so what's left for me?" I grinned a little at Eirika.

"You could go with me, Brother," she invited softly. She squeezed my hand, and I squeezed hers in thanks and shook my head, smiling.

"And once you reach the capital," said King Hayden, "Vigarde's generals will be waiting for you."

"If they oppose us, we will fight!" I cried. Maybe a little too excitedly.

King Hayden smiled faintly. "You have your father's foolhardy courage, don't you? If you are determined to go, Ephraim… I will place you in charge of the army." I could feel Innes' eyes on the back of my head and ignored him. I guess I had upstaged him, taking 'his' army. We had switched places abruptly.

"Very well," continued the king. "I entrust all of our hope to you three. If any of you fall, Grado will gain the upper hand."

"Where I command, there are no mistakes," Innes said with a touch of his hidden arrogance.

Eirika's words touched me. "I will not fail, I know it! And I have made a vow: to fight as my brother does until our land is free. Until the continent is at peace."

"I too will not fail," I said resolutely.

"So be it," said King Hayden rather grimly. We rose, bowed, and left.

.

Outside the council chamber, when the others had split up to prepare for the journeys ahead, Eirika stopped me. "Farewell, Brother."

"To be perfectly honest, I still do not want you to go," I said softly, taking her hands in mine. It felt like we still had not spent much time together. "I would much rather you wait here for me."

She smiled bravely. "There will be no danger. Mine is the easiest task. I'm far more worried about you. Attacking Grado directly? I am afraid for you, Ephraim."

"What's this now? Have you lost your faith in me?"

Her smile broadened as she dropped my hands and spread them. She spoke with certainty. "No, of course not. I know your true strength, Ephraim. No one can defeat you."

I laughed. "Hearing you say that fills me with confidence. I think I know my own limitations. I won't overextend myself." I thought about the task I had taken, my resources, my ultimate goal, my sister's love, and nodded. "I can't die and leave you all on your own, can I? Let us both survive to be reunited. Give me your word, Eirika." I held out my hand.

She shook it. "You have it, Brother."

I walked quickly to the stables, where I knew I would find my knights.

"Kyle! Forde!" I called as I entered. I was lucky. They were the only ones there.

"Yes, Prince Ephraim?" Kyle replied as they both saluted.

"Look, I don't need you loafing around here," I said without preamble. "Go keep Eirika safe."

Forde leaned forward, frowning. "Are you okay, my lord? You're going up against all of Grado, and you choose to send away your two most trusted comrades?"

I grinned at him. "No, Forde, I did not get hit in the head. Recently." That elicited a faint chuckle from both of them. "I am going up against all of Grado, yes, but I'm not concerned for my own safety. I will have the whole Frelian army, and I know a few of their commanders personally. What's more important is Eirika. It's because you're my most trusted men that I need you to help Seth keep her safe. That's an order, now."

Kyle nodded his head. "I understand, Prince Ephraim. We shall do our best."

Forde looked a little unhappy, but he nodded too. Then he brightened. "At least I can keep an eye on my little brother while I'm at it. Not that I'll need to."

I clapped them on the shoulders. "That's the spirit. Well, get going! You don't want to be left behind!"

"We'll see you upon your return, my lord!" they called to me, and left with their horses.

A few minutes later, I was strolling through the castle towards the Frelian barracks, hoping to meet some of those commanders that I knew. Again, I was in luck.

"Prince Ephraim?"

I looked around, and saw a pegasus knight striding quickly toward me. Her long hair was grass-green and her eyes, when she came closer, were the same. She wore a dark, form-fitting short dress and leggings, and white armour and long white boots. Her hair was kept back from her face with a brown headband. "Commander Syrene?"

She bowed and saluted. "I am Commander Syrene, Prince Ephraim. I understand you are to lead the army from now on."

"That's correct," I told her. "Remind me what you are in charge of?"

"I am personal commander of the Third Battalion of the Royal Frelian Pegasus Knights. I am also, in part, the general of the entire Frelian Army, although I usually share those duties with Generals Erios and Kalvin. General Erios, however, is currently stationed here in the capital, and General Kalvin has been badly injured in action and will probably not be able to fight for the rest of the war, despite our healers' efforts. Therefore, I am currently acting-general of the Frelian Army as it now stands in the field. The army itself is at this moment is spread across the southern border, concentrated on the town of Oderba."

I nodded, processing that information. It was good. I could begin my drive to the capital immed- what?

"Lord Ephraim!" came a call behind me. Three people, one of them heavily armoured, were hurrying toward me.

"What? Sir Gilliam? Father Moulder? Uh, sorry, I forget your name…"

"I am Vanessa, milord," the green-haired girl replied, bowing and saluting just like Syrene had. She looked similar enough to Syrene that I supposed they could be sisters, although Vanessa's hair was much shorter, in two braids, and she wore a short orange dress.

Father Moulder, whom I had often met before, stepped forward. He was a broad, sturdy man, dressed in plain brown robes. His brown moustache quivered. "Princess Eirika accepts the loan of Sirs Kyle and Forde and has sent us here to join the Frelian army."

I brought my palm up to my forehead. "Eirika!"

Gilliam, the spiky-black-haired knight with the heavy green armour, spoke in her defense. "She was most earnest in her desire that we accompany you, milord. We could not help but be touched by her plea."

I sighed and grumbled under my breath. I knew it was no good arguing with Eirika. When she got an idea in her head, it was impossible to change her mind. I gave the three soldiers a smile. "Well, I am touched by your readiness to assist in what saner heads have called a suicide mission. Welcome aboard."

They saluted again. "We won't let you down, sir!"

"Well," Syrene said, "I shall make our preparations for leaving. We shall depart within the hour."

I clapped my hands together. "Excellent." I was slightly disappointed that we wouldn't be able to stay a night at Castle Frelia, but I knew we needed haste more than anything else. Catch Grado off-guard and keep momentum, and we would penetrate to the heart of the Empire before Emperor Vigarde was aware of our approach.

We crossed the courtyard, heading for the armories, and I caught a glimpse of Innes exiting a different building, with three or four people – mercenaries, from the look of it – and heading for the gate. So he was off already. I gave him a wave and a nod, and he returned it gravely.


	5. Chapter 5: Fort Rigwald

Chapter 5: Fort Rigwald

.

It was dawn over the hill country just south of Frelia. Commander Syrene and I were standing on a small cliff overlooking the back of a small and interestingly-looking castle.

"Fort Rigwald, huh?" I mused. "Who built it, do you know?"

"I am afraid not, Lord Ephraim. I can see why you asked, though. The gate on the south leads directly into a long covered passage filled with arrow-slits. Any enemy who breaches the gates is instantly in a killing ground. The back walls are impervious, and there is no back gate, so the front gate is pretty much the only way to get in and capture the place. It has stood unconquered for generations."

"And to capture the place, we'll need to take out its commander, who will probably be in the throne room of the keep. If we don't, then they'll fall on our rear as we try to assault the capital." I looked lopsidedly at her. "Do you think we can do it?"

"It's a daunting task," she admitted. "The enemy not only has those formidable defences, but the advantage of numbers as well."

"But what about morale?" I asked.

"You think they may not want to fight?"

"This is the emperor's war. Renais and Grado have always been close allies and friends. The hearts of the people cannot be so swift to change. I know that General Duessel, my old lance teacher, is loyal as an old dog can be to the crown… but he also opposes this war. I'm sure he opposes it with every fibre of his being. I wonder if he's in there. I could ask him what's going on with the emperor."

"Optimism here may be deadly," Syrene said sternly. Then her face lightened. "Still, it's a much better idea than attacking Grado's main army face to face."

I smiled at her and thought. "I think it would be a really bad idea to ask our pegasus knights to create a diversion… they're sure to have thought of that. Let me see… here's what we'll do."

I marshalled my troops. "All right, listen up! We're going to bust down those gates and head inside, as quick as we can! Rush the throne room and kill their commander. That may force the other side to surrender. I'll give more specific orders as we get into battle. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" responded my army.

"Well, then, move out!" I led the way, running down the hill. After a few minutes, by which time we were already in the shadow of the castle, arrows came hissing out at us.

"Watch yourselves!" I called to the pegasus knights. Syrene waved back.

We reached the gates to find a small group of the enemy guarding them. I charged them, cavaliers rushing around me. Syrene and Vanessa swooped and took out a few archers that might have been a problem.

The gate cleared. "All right, come on, come on!" I snapped. "Axe-fighters, up here! Get at this gate!"

Vaguely in a corner of my mind I wondered why, if this place was the jewel of Grado's outer fortresses, it didn't have a portcullis. That would have been handy against us.

The gate splintered and we were inside. In the same corner of my mind, I had the idea that that had been too easy. But now we faced the 'corridor of death'.

"Right! Follow me!" I cried, darting down the corridor, plunging my lance into an enemy cavalier on the way down. Arrows and fireballs – fireballs? Mages were not good news – shot out at me from the arrowslits in the walls, but I was too fast for them. "Round the corners! Get behind them, and take out the archers!" The cavaliers followed me, except for one who had a sleep spell cast on him. His buddy, a large axeman, dragged his horse away before he could get skewered by an arrow. I held the end of the corridor against the soldiers pouring out of the depths of the fortress, several swordsmen beside me. Gilliam and some other armour knights came up more slowly behind us.

"Archers clear, sir!" a cavalier saluted.

"Then tell the pegasus knights to get in here and get to the dungeons. Free any prisoners, especially those who wish to fight with us. The rest of you, with me!"

Syrene swooped past me, taking out a shaman with her javelin. I heard gasps from the defending enemies and came to a sudden realization.

Some of the soldiers fighting us were mere children! Not only did they not want to fight, but they shouldn't even have been drafted in the first place, much less cast out onto a battlefield.

"Hey, troops!" I bellowed. "Listen up! Try to knock out your enemies rather than kill them!" I crooked a finger at two lancemen near the back of my formation. "You two. Your job is to tie up those who are knocked out or who surrender. Understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!" They saluted and began bickering over rope. They eventually came back with several large coils they had found in the guard room beside the gate.

Vanessa came back from the dungeons. "We've rescued quite a few Frelian prisoners, including Julia-"

"Who's she?"

"One of our pegasus knights. A messenger, normally. Anyway, there are tons of enemy reinforcements down there."

"Pull back," I said immediately. "We're heading for the throne room. We'll gather all our side in there and demand that they surrender after we kill the commander." I led the army swiftly to the right, then to the left. Two axemen tried to get in my way and I clonked them over the head with Reginleif. Up the stairs, then left, then right, and then I was in a large chamber with skylights and pillars. A fat pig sat on the throne at the end of the room, his tiny eyes wide with apprehension.

"Protect me!" he demanded of the recruits standing around him. "I cannot be allowed to be killed!" He burped.

"You're going down!" I called to him, dodging the clumsy stabs of the recruits. "Monks, myrmidons, attack him! Gilliam, help me with these recruits!"

Gilliams heavy armour would protect him from the recruits' lances. I, on the other hand, would have to keep dancing around to avoid getting hurt. I was getting a little tired.

"Gwah… No!" cried the commander, standing up and swinging a huge axe around him, keeping the two slighter built myrmidons clear.

"I guess his fat helps him lift it, eh?" one of my swordsmen chuckled to the other, bounding up over the throne behind the commander, taking a piece out of his shoulder in an impressive display of acrobatics. The commander snarled in rage. Light magic burst around him, weakening him. One swordsman lunged forward, hunched low under the axe, and stabbed him in the belly through his leather armour, then darted back to wait.

"It's only a matter of time before he falls over now," the other myrmidon replied.

It seemed the commander knew it too, because he sank to his knees, groaning and cursing. Eventually he fell forward and lay still.

Everything ground to a halt.

Then I felt a sharp jab in my side from behind and stumbled forward, grimacing in pain.

I whirled around, half-raising my lance. There hadn't looked to be any threats among those I'd been distracting… "Hey! Who did that?"

A terrified, wide-eyed little girl, clutching a bloody lance, stared up at me. "You're Prince Ephraim, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes I am," I said, rather amused despite my wound. "Why?"

"Commander Gheb was horrible to us. But… but… I don't want to be a prisoner of Renais and Frelia, either!" The other recruits around her, boys and girls barely in their teens, nodded with her.

"Why's that?" I asked. Father Moulder stepped up behind me and healed the stab wound. I nodded my thanks to him.

The girl hesitated, gripping her lance tighter until her knuckles turn white, then looked back at me and blurted out: "Because I was told you send female prisoners to work in the castle as slaves! And they get kicked around and beaten and have to do the worst work possible! And the male prisoners have to work in the fields in chains!"

I flung my head back and laughed. "No way… where did you hear that?"

"It's true, isn't it?" she pressed innocently. "My captain told us that. Why are you laughing if it's not true?"

"It's not true," I assured her. "I'd never do a thing like that. I promise, if you surrender, we will treat you all with all respect." I grinned. "Besides, we have our own people to clean castles and grow food."

"Oh," she said, looking down with a crimson face.

I patted her pauldron'd shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. Sometimes people lie in war to get other people to fight. But I'm going to try and clear that all up. Chin up, now." She flinched at my touch and I wondered if I'd overdone it. I looked back over my shoulder. Who could I put in charge of these kids? "Vanessa." She snapped to attention beside her pegasus. "Would you take care of this group, please? Keep them out of the way for now, until we get confirmation that the castle is secured."

"Yes, sir!" she answered, and went to stand over by the recruits. They looked enchanted by the pegasus, although some looked frightened.

Syrene came in, also leading her pegasus. "Lord Ephraim, the castle has surrendered. We are confining the prisoners to the barracks and confiscating their weapons."

"Good," I replied.

"All right, this way, please," Vanessa said to her little group, beckoning them on. "We'll get you comfortable in the barracks. Are any of you hungry?"

Syrene and I smiled after them. Then I schooled my expression back to business. "Get me one of the senior prisoners. I want some questions answered. Stand down the troops, too."

"Right away, sir."

I waited, pacing slowly through the keep alone. My lance leaned against the throne. Eventually, Syrene and Gilliam returned, bringing a Grado captain with them. His hands were unbound and he was still in armour.

"I'm going to ask you some questions," I told him. "You may remain silent if you don't want to answer. However, if you wish this war to end swiftly, you will tell me what you know."

"I understand," the solder replied readily. "…I will answer your questions."

"Why has Grado invaded Renais?"

"I don't know," the soldier answered firmly. "This war began on the emperor's orders. Soldiers on the end of those orders haven't the foggiest idea where we're going with them. Except that it's not exactly welcome."

"Well, then… do you know where General Deussel is?"

"Last I heard, he's in the capital. He pleads with the emperor daily to stop the war, but the emperor just ignores him. They say some are questioning the general's loyalty."

"Is that so…" I murmured. "Well, it looks like he's the same and as true as when I knew him. And Prince Lyon? What's he been up to during all this?"

The soldier paused and I felt the room grow cold. "According to rumours," the soldiers said at last, "The prince is the one who convinced the emperor to start this war."

I turned sharply to face the soldier. "What did you say?"

The soldier shrugged helplessly. "I don't know where he's been or who he's been with. All I know is what I heard, from a friend in the capital."

"That's ridiculous!" I hissed, turning away from the soldier. "I know Lyon well! He would never agree to all this bloodshed, let alone trigger it!"

"Prince Ephraim," Syrene said from behind me. "Please calm down!"

I turned back to face her and the prisoner. "I'm sorry. …You're dismissed. Thank you for your help." The soldier bowed and left with Gilliam.

That evening I stood on the walls with Syrene, looking down the road we would take tomorrow. "We'll leave the fort and the prisoners with part of the Frelian army. We'll press on to the capital tomorrow. At some point we'll find either Deussel or Lyon, and then we can try and clear up this whole mess…" I ran a hand over my face.

"Understood," Syrene responded. "But I have misgivings, my lord… the general and the prince are men of Grado. We could be forced into conflict with them…"

"It won't happen," I said firmly, propping my chin on my hands. "I know them both very well. We're friends, comrades… but don't worry, Syrene. If it comes to battle, I won't hesitate. I'll fight and kill anyone who opposes me."

She shivered. I wondered how grim that had sounded, saying I'd cut down my childhood best friend if he tried to get in my way when I was trying to end the war. "I understand, my lord. I only ask that you not throw yourself into needless danger."

I gave her a crooked smile. "I hear you. Now that my father is gone, I have to be King of Renais… when I return to it. The decisions I make affect more than my own life."

She nodded. I frowned for a moment, remembering something I had to do. "Do you know if Myrrh's around?"

"I don't know. Shall I look for her, my lord?"

"No, don't bother. I'll find her." I headed down, through the fort, and out the gate to a nearby hill.

Myrrh was there, watching the sunset, like I thought she would be. "Hello, Ephraim. How are you?"

"I'm very well, thanks, Myrrh. I've been thinking about something. I need you to go back to Frelia with the returning portion of the army. It's too dangerous for you to come any further." I left unsaid the part where I thought I'd brought her too far already.

"No," she said softly in her little voice. "I can feel my lost dragonstone from ahead. And… the dark energy, it still flows unchecked from the heart of Grado. I must continue with you, Ephraim."

"But-" I began. Myrrh's crimson eyes stared up at me, pleading silently. "Oh, all right. I can never refuse you anything, can I?" I added with a laugh. "Your eyes remind me too much of Eirika…" I wondered if she knew that and if she was doing it on purpose. "But you must not stray from my side, do you hear? I will do the best I can to keep you safe, so please try to do as I say."

"I understand… I will not stray…" she answered, looking away again.

I stopped watching the road, just for a minute, and watched the sunset with her.


	6. Chapter 6: Turning Traitor

Chapter 6: Turning Traitor

.

We rode south the next two days, passing through the hills of the Grado Highlands. On the third day we approached the port town of Bethroen, which, if we could charter a ship, would take the army directly to the main highway out of Tai'zel on the southern coast to Grado Keep. On the second day, the earthquakes started. Grado was usually rocked by earthquakes every once in a while.

Vanessa, scouting the third morning, brought us the layout of the terrain and confirmed that it was the same as our maps.

"Bethroen Port is a pair of small islands connected by bridges to the mainland," she reported. "The main road we're on runs straight there. On the western island are the town and the docks. On the eastern island is a fortress, I think to protect against pirates."

"And probably us, too," I commented a little drily.

"To the north of the town is another village only a mile away."

"That probably won't figure into our plans," Syrene said contemplatively. "Did you see any enemy units?"

"No, ma'am! There either are no opposing forces, or they're still in the fortress."

"Better suppose they're in the fortress," I said. "It's highly unlikely they've not figured out where we're going; Rigwald pointed our direction clearly enough. We'll move in quickly, but cautiously."

"Right away, sir," Syrene said, saluting, and went off to make preparations to move out.

I rubbed a hand over my face and clapped my hands together, stretching as I got up. "Good work, Vanessa."

"Thank you, milord!"

We were only a few hours away from the villages and it was getting close to lunchtime when we arrived on a little cliff overlooking the sea about a mile away from them.

And fighting.

"What on earth is that?" I asked, pointing at distant figures swarming between the fortress and the southern village.

Syrene squinted. "I'm afraid I can't tell, Lord Ephraim…"

"Pirates or the Grado Army, something's entirely not right. Let's get down there! Ride!" I ran along the path at the top of the cliff, lance in hand, to the place where the road pierced the cliff down to the islands. I heard Syrene stifle calling my name; she was probably going to ask me to wait and explain what I had in mind.

"Just trust me! I know what I'm doing!" I called back to her.

Enemies, soldiers of the Grado Army, met us at the bottom of the hill. We charged through them without trouble.

"Milord! Two pirates to the west, wyvern riders to the southeast!" Syrene called from the air above me.

"Swoop down on the pirates to the west!" I shouted back. "We'll worry about the wyvern riders once we get closer!"

"Understood!" she called, sending Vanessa off to deal with the pirates. Her younger sister had just grown confident enough to begin wielding a sword in battle. That would give her a serious edge over the pirates.

"They're chasing someone down," I murmured to myself as I came closer to the main action. "A 'deserter', perhaps?"

A little closer, and I saw who it was.

"Duessel!" I bellowed.

My old teacher, with his mane of grey hair and his heavy crimson armour, on his huge old warhorse, looked up at me, startled. "Prince Ephraim?"

"Duessel, what's going on?" I called to him, running across the bridge, cavaliers and axe-men with me. I pole-vaulted over a small barricade with my lance and came down with a heavy thud, stabbing an enemy swordsman and knocked the wind out of another with the haft. He came riding up to me, hacking down a third swordsman with his huge silver axe. "Why is the Grado Army attacking you?" I asked him. "…Wait, hold that thought. We'll get you to safety first, and then we'll talk."

Duessel seemed lost in thought, only attacking if someone attacked him first, or if someone attacked me from behind, or if someone attacked one of the very few knights who were following him bravely. "Duessel!" I barked at him.

"…I was General Duessel, the Obsidian of the Imperial Three…" Deussel answered slowly. "This title, this service to his majesty, have been my life's blood. Now I am branded a traitor to the crown. As of this moment, all that… gone. There's no reason to continue this madness…"

"Duessel…" I said sympathetically, but then my voice grew strong. I needed him; Grado still needed him! This kind of talk was uncharacteristic of my teacher, and I would snap him out of it, no matter how harsh it would sound. "Enough of this rubbish! You are my mentor, and I will not let you die! You will live. Yes, called a traitor… in disgrace… a fate, to you, worse than death. But the emperor is mad – what good will it do your country if you die? What of the people? The future!?"

Duessel absorbed my words, his eyes fixed on my face. "…I understand," he said at last. "This old fool's life is yours, Prince Ephraim."

I breathed a sigh of relief and grinned at him. "That's better. A bit. What are we facing?"

"Sele- General Selena, the Fluorspar of the Imperial Three, has been sent to kill me for my treason against Grado. My knights are still with me, but I believe we are facing General Selena and General Valter, though I think Valter left. I saw his wyvern flying away north. A ship also left just before he did, probably to bring news to the capital."

"I see," I murmured. "Well, let's drive them back, convince Selena to stop fighting, and start putting an end to this war – together!"

"Understood!" Duessel grunted. "Your orders?"

"Send your knights to defend that village from pirates. Vanessa! You and those three swordsmen – back them up. Duessel, Syrene, come with me. We're heading to the fortress with everyone else."

What was left of the Grado Army around the fortress was already weakening. The fortress itself was heavily guarded by swordsmen and archers. The wyvern riders had been dealt with already. I called Syrene down to fight on the ground and led the charge with Duessel thundering along behind my left shoulder. The man on horseback in charge of the gate spat in the dirt as we approached.

"Prince Ephraim of Renais… General Obsidian the traitor… Two incredible trophies."

"I'm notta trophy," I told him, gritting my teeth and spinning my lance. "That sounds like something Valter would say."

"Beran," Duessel growled. "He does serve Valter."

"That would confirm that Valter was here earlier."

"General Moonstone was indeed here," Beran sniffed. "But he left after General Fluorspar was called back to the capital. I am the one to cut you down to size. Enough talk, now! Fight me!"

"Gladly," I replied, lunging forward. Deussel was right behind me, and Syrene was right behind him.

The fight against Beran was difficult, though I managed to kill his horse first off. I didn't like killing horses; they were intelligent beasts, and mostly, not vicious like wyverns. But it helped me against him a lot.

He managed to parry most of my attacks, but Duessel simply swept in and gave a sweep of his axe that left Beran's sword arm slashed wide open. His face pale, the enemy general stumbled back and vanished around a corner. I followed, but he had gone. Not even a trail of blood to tell me where my enemy had gone.

The rest of the Gradonians, seeing Duessel and Syrene, surrendered without much of a fight.

"So where's Selena gone?" I asked once we gathered in the main hall of the fortress.

Duessel, instead of answering, chose to give me a bear hug. After a moment of surprise, I returned it.

"Prince Ephraim, it's been far too long. You've grown to be quite the impressive commander," he said gruffly.

"Thank you," I replied. "My being alive I owe to your instruction in the lance, Duessel. Tell me, why are you being pursued by your own troops?" Duessel looked away and did not answer. I put a hand on his shoulder – he was still about eight inches taller than I, darnit – and pressed. "Speak to me, Duessel. I want to put an end to this war. I must know."

Duessel put his thoughts in order, different expressions flitting across his craggy face. "As you know, the emperor is – was – a man of compassion. Always seeking to do the right thing for his people and country and to keep peace sovereign. But one day all of that changed." His voice fell away again.

"But why? Why did he change?" I urged.

Duessel shook his head. "I wish I knew for sure. But I have a theory. It seems that trouble first started when Prince Lyon and the Royal Mages created a gemstone they referred to as the Dark Stone." I wrinkled my nose. What an unoriginal and ominous name. No wonder everything went wrong. I looked down and saw that Myrrh had come in and was standing close by my side. I patted her shoulder. "I'm just a soldier. I don't know anything about these magic things. But they said the Dark Stone might have more power than the Sacred Stones. Those Stones that had the power to seal away the Demon King."

"If the Dark Stone is stronger than they are…" I murmured, unease growing in my mind. "Do you think it is the cause of Emperor Vigarde's madness?"

Myrrh tugged on my sleeve. "Ephraim… the evil power… it hungers and consumes. It can tarnish the purest of souls with its breath."

"So… yes, then," I said a little drily, looking down at her again. "The timing, does it fit?"

"The Dark Stone was created about five months ago," Duessel said, counting weeks on his fingers. "Yes, that's it. We mobilized for nearly three months and-" he winced, "-invaded Renais a little less than two months ago. Six weeks."

"Seven," I replied. "I spent six weeks in the field with Kyle and Forde… …and Orson, before he betrayed us. Then Eirika came to get us less than a week ago. I think."

"Five months is correct," Myrrh whispered.

"Then- Duessel, where is the Dark Stone now?" I asked.

"In the capital, with Prince Lyon," Duessel answered. "He's never put it down since the day it was created."

"I see… I'm going to the capital. Perhaps if I talk to Lyon he'll listen to me… and we can help Vigarde."

"I'm going with you," Duessel said.

I gave him a worried look. "But we'll be fighting your own men."

"Thank you for your concern, Prince Ephraim, but I've already been branded a traitor. The only way I can serve Grado now, is, ironically, by serving you."

"Thank you, Duessel. I'm glad to have you with me." I gave him a smile.

He bowed and went to speak to his knights, the ones who had defected with him and who were now standing in the background of the room. "Men, I owe you an apology. You've followed me faithfully and I've betrayed you to Frelia."

One of them, the oldest, saluted crisply. "You speak nonsense, General! We are your men to the end. We've trained under you, fought beside you… lost mutual friends… shared good times in the mess – we are your loyal soldiers to the end. If you join Frelia, so shall we."

"My brave men," Duessel said gently, proudly. I thought I heard a slight sniffle from him as he turned his head away from them. Syrene came to speak to me about the wounded in the battle, but I could still hear Duessel. "Bah, I'm getting sentimental in my old age…" I couldn't help but smile at that.

"Please, sir, give us permission to join the Frelian army."

"Permission granted. We'll ride together, just as we always have, Prince Ephraim willing."

I held up a hand to pause Syrene and turned towards Duessel. "Permission granted here, as well. You have my respect and my gratitude. Thank you." The knights bowed, and Deussel led them out of the hall.

.

Bethroen Village was strangely quiet the next day. The usual bustle about the docks, small as they were, was non-existent.

"What's wrong here?" I asked after a near-fruitless hour of searching for the captain of a ship large enough to carry the army. "Of the six men we've found, only two were willing to give us passage. They seem… afraid. Anyway, tell the men to take a rest. It'll be a while before the ship's ready."

"Yes, sir," Syrene answered.

"I can answer your question, master," a small girl with pale green hair said, looking at me with innocent brown eyes. "They are afraid."

I looked down at her in confusion. "Pirates? Storms?"

She shook her poofy green head. "No… there's supposed to be a ghost ship sailing around out there…" she shivered. "So it's probably best that you don't go, either. A ship from Rausten set out from here a week ago in search of it, but it hasn't returned yet. No one wants to go anywhere while there's a ghost ship on the seas."

I knelt down and looked her in the eye with my head cocked to one side. "Thank you for the warning, but we're warriors. We're not afraid of the ghost ship. If it attacks us, we'll defeat it. And if we find the Rausten ship, we'll help them."

She looked at me sadly.

"Prince Ephraim, the ship has arrived," Syrene said from behind me. "I will go and alert the men."

"Thanks… Syrene," I said, standing up and giving the solemn little girl a last look before heading off to the dock, Reginleif firmly in one hand.


	7. Chapter 7: Phantom Ship

Chapter 7: Phantom Ship

.

A few hours, we were in the middle of the great Western Bay of Grado, also known as the Falisean Sea. It was getting close to sunset; we would dock in the port of Taizel close to noon on the next morning.

I was looking for Myrrh; she had been hard to find the last few days. I wondered if she'd been avoiding me, or if I was not paying enough attention to her. I resolved that I would hang out with her for the rest of this voyage, assuming Syrene had nothing important to say.

At last, I caught up with the small indigo-haired girl near the bow, gazing far across the waves as if she would never grow tired of the ceaseless swells. There were clouds and fog ahead, shrouding the far-distant shore which would have just been visible otherwise, making it look like the ocean went on forever.

"First time on the ocean, Myrrh?" I asked quietly, leaning on the rail beside her.

She looked at me quickly, surprised, I think. "Yes… It's so blue, so vast."

"It certainly is," I replied cheerfully. "It's my first time on a ship, too. It's hard to appreciate just how big the sea is from land."

"I would never have guessed," she answered, shyly. "You seem so calm…"

I shrugged. "If I'm to properly lead us, I have to be somewhat stoic. You know?"

She slumped over the rail and I wondered if it was something I said. "Ephraim…"

I leaned towards her, wondering what she was going to say next. She had definitely been reclusive since we had set out with the army. 'She must be lonely,' I thought. We had been pretty close back when it was just me and my knights; I had chatted with her and encouraged her, and she had been hopeful and sweet as the child she appeared to be, even though I knew she was much older.

"Prince Ephraim!" Drat. It was Syrene.

"Yes?" I called back, patting Myrrh's shoulder to let her know she was not forgotten. "Forgive me, Myrrh. We'll have to continue this in a minute."

"All right," she whispered, nodding at me and walking away towards the middle of the ship. The sailors were still giving her strange looks, but none took much notice of her.

"There's a ship following us," said Syrene, walking up to me looking very serious, the wind whipping her long green hair. "It's right on the edge of the fog where we can't get a good look at it… We can't tell if it's Grado or not. Shall we ready the troops?"

I looked around. We were surrounded by thick fog; I had been so intent on Myrrh and reflecting that I hadn't noticed we'd sailed into it already. Behind us, barely visible, was a formless shadow.

"Yes… yes, arm all infantry. Tell the cavaliers to fight on foot. How about you and your sister? Would you like to fly? Can the pegasi be gotten out?"

"Absolutely, my lord," Syrene answered, already turning away to shout orders.

The ship following us, I suppose, realized we'd seen it, or that the fog was thick enough for their purposes… because with an unearthly howl of battle came plunging down on us through the mist.

I took one look at it and looked frantically around for Myrrh. She was frozen by the mainmast, staring in horror at the rotted wood, the tattered sails, the way it practically boiled with gargoyles and giant eyeballs and skeletons.

"Myrrh!" I shouted, racing off the foredeck towards her. She whirled at my call. "Myrrh, get below, quick! We'll deal with this. Go!"

With a frightened nod, she fled, neatly dodging around Vanessa's pegasus awkwardly ascending onto the deck following its mistress. I hastily looked around for my lance, turned, and found Gilliam there, holding it for me. I gave him a grim nod as I took it.

The monster ship closed fast onto our left side, and boarding ramps were being made ready. Syrene and Vanessa picked off a few far-ranging gargoyles, but the main group were just waiting for us. I clutched my lance tightly in anticipation.

"Protect the sailors!" I barked one last order as the ramps fell and skeletons began pouring across. "Push them back, board their ship, and seize the blasted thing!"

I matched action to words, in the forefront of one thrust of skeletons. I heard the twangs and pings of bows behind me, and gargoyles yowled above me. I had to keep looking to see if they were going to fall on me.

Over at the other ramp, Gilliam and Deussel, fighting together, were a huge barrier, with Moulder behind him, making small flashes of light as he began using his brand new Light spellbook. The creatures flinched back from the pair. Overhead, Vanessa was being chased by about five gargoyles; Syrene stabbed one and archers took out two more, and then Vanessa dodged around a sail and decapitated one.

I carefully made my way onto the rickety ramp, smashing through damp bones with my lance haft. A pair of swordsmen followed me; one of them was a cavalier whose name I had forgotten, and the other was a tall strapping fellow. "Stay with me," I called to them as I reached the end of the ramp, only to be surrounded by skeletons and eyeballs.

Another ship came streaking out of the mist beyond the monster ship, white sails tearing through the fog. "Reinforcements!?" I exclaimed, anxiously.

But no. The monsters turned, and with a screech of joy, fell upon the unfortunate newcomer, swarming it.

Swarming it until a blast of light erupted amidships and sent a half dozen eyeballs plopping into the sea. After the blast – I took a gouge on my leg while defending as my eyes cleared – a shrill but joyful laugh, a woman's laugh, echoed across the water.

"With me!" I called again to my two bodyguards, and the forces lined up behind them, as I whirled, slammed, and jabbed my way across the deck, hoping to meet the newcomers.

They came to meet me, a light-green-haired woman in white with a staff and a spellbook, and a massive warrior in green with orange hair and a huge axe, and others who were rather frightened looking sailor-guards. We met and the battle retreated from around us. I could see Deussel's group still fighting on the rear deck of the monster ship; I would go and help him in a moment.

"You are…" I said to the woman, who seemed to be in charge.

"Fear not," said she, smiling sweetly, "for your rescue is at hand! I am the fair Rachel. You have heard of me, perhaps?"

I frowned. "I'm afraid not…"

She actually turned pale and looked to be on the verge of swooning. "Alas…"

"Is something wrong?" I asked, blinking. Women were weird.

"No… I just feel like crawling into a hole and weeping…"

"What? No! This is no time for crying." Now I was really confused. "I know you've noticed but we're under attack and we could use your help."

She brightened up right away. "Oh! Well, in that case I can educate you. Now! Watch my graceful actions closely!"

I nodded, but I didn't have much time to look as Syrene's pegasus landed heavily next to us, her wing torn by a lance and Syrene herself bleeding badly. She nearly fell off, and the swordsman steadied her.

"Hold on!" I told her. "I'll get Father Moulder." I was off into the thick of it before I realized that the woman, Rachel, was calling me back indignantly.

"Now watch me! I can help here too!" she cried. She raised her staff, and Syrene's bleeding stopped.

I bowed to her. "Thank you. You may have saved her life. Now we must join up with Deussel and Gilliam and Father Moulder! Follow me!"

A sailor near me took a hit from a dark magic spell and crumpled, his face pale and covered in sweat, his mouth hanging slack. While Rachel healed him, I stabbed the eyeball viciously, accidentally covering myself in guck.

"Ah…" I shook my head to get my now-disgusting green hair out of my eyes and continued.

I drove a wedge through the remaining forces and met up with Gilliam. "Sir."

"Good fighting, Gilliam."

Deussel suddenly pointed. "Prince Ephraim! Over there!"

A hulking shape drifted over the rail and slammed into a group of weaker soldiers, scattering them. I flinched from the piercing screams – at least two of the soldiers were women – and darted forward through the press.

Several bodies lay still around the monster gargoyle. "Healers!" I shouted, bringing up my lance to block its next attack. I was dimly aware that others were dragging the injured away, to give me room to manoeuvre.

It lunged in a flurry to my left. "Oh, no you don't," I growled at it, sidestepping in front of it. I was barely in time, and barely strong enough to hold him back. I felt like the goalie of some sport, making a save… That ridiculous comparison flitted through my head and out again in an instant.

The monster kept trying to get past me, to where the healers and weaker, slower soldiers were, I assumed. "Hey," I said, jerking my thumb at my chest, "don't even think about it. You're not going to touch 'em. You're fighting ME!"

"And me!" cried Gilliam, stomping up beside me. I nodded in acknowledgement.

"And me, of course," said Deussel, on my other side. And I heard many more cheers from behind me, and some over-enthusiastic archers fired arrows inaccurately at the monster.

It bellowed and came at me; the two warriors beside me fanned out to block the others. The archers kept shooting – the gargoyle kept dodging – and Vanessa and Syrene, now healed, hovered circled behind it, blocking its escape. I parried and blocked with all my strength. "I'm going to feel this tomorrow," I grunted.

"Keep it up, Prince Ephraim!" Deussel egged me on.

I smiled fiercely and stabbed, then froze in surprise.

It fell back first, Reginleif my lance deeply embedded in its chest.

The world blurred and overturned on me, except for the cold steel in my gut between my belt and my armour…

"Prince Ephraim! Prince Ephraim!" Women were calling me.

"Ungh… Eirika…" I offered, flailing, seeing blackness.

"He's awake!" cried a man in relief, and something thin and tenacious latched onto my left arm.

"Mmg… where?" I blinked and opened my eyes. Hovering over me were Syrene, Deussel, Moulder, and behind them were Vanessa and the woman Rachel. Clinging to my arm, her eyes squeezed shut, was Myrrh. "Oh! Hello. Did I win?"

"It was still twitching when we brought you below, so I stabbed it a few times," said Deussel. "With my axe. It won't move again."

"Fabulous," I said, lying back again. "Hello, Myrrh. I'm sorry to worry you." She shook her head vigorously.

"Well!" I said, sitting up, "I guess I'd better help deal with the aftermath. How many injured?"

"None," said Moulder. "The healers have dealt with them all, and we owe much thanks to Lady Rachel here."

Rachel bowed with a pleased smile.

I got up. "Yes, thank you, Miss Rachel. May I ask what you were doing here in the first place?"

Her eyes brightened with glee. "Do not be startled by what I say. I am a Lady of Rausten, Theocracy of the righteous! I am on a never-ending quest to destroy all evil. Lady Syrene told me of your quest to defeat the Grado Empire. I must come with you."

I stood up and spluttered. "Wh-what? Are you crazy? We're facing vast numbers and our odds of success are embarrassingly small!"

"I have faith," she said simply.

I sighed. "Well, we will be very happy to have you with us. I just wanted to be sure."

"Of course," she said.

I turned to Syrene. "What else has happened?"


	8. Chapter 8: Landing at Taizel

Chapter 8: Landing at Taizel

.

Our ship drew in to the port of Taizel the next day, as planned. All the soldiers and Myrrh were below deck, hidden from view. Syrene and I stood in the door to the cabin, sheltered, watching the sailors rush about. No arrows and fire had rained down on us as we entered the harbour, so I assumed we were not suspected yet.

"There's no sign of enemy troops, either," Syrene said, reflecting my thoughts.

"Let's move quickly and prepare to go ashore. The capital is straight down the highway but we'll be fighting for every step of the way."

"Yes, and it will grow fiercer the closer we come," the pegasus commander said with concern. "My lord, I would like to make a suggestion about troop distribution…"

"Yes?"

"The Grado Army outnumbers us by a tremendous amount. We've noted this many times. We have ready reservists to protect our supply convoy, but it is no good to defend the supplies if we lose the front. We should bring up all our soldiers to strengthen the van."

"No, Syrene, that won't do. I cannot approve of sending reservists to fight on the front lines, and we cannot abandon our supplies in enemy territory!"

"Prince Ephraim, we have talented soldiers, but that counts for nothing against those numbers!"

I looked quickly outside, but no one seemed to have noticed our heated argument. "Syrene, I know you only want to improve our chances of success, but when we are flanked on both sides by hostile armies, maybe towns, too, we will need that convoy. I also know that you make these suggestions to try to keep me from harm… but I have no intention of changing my mind! – Myrrh?"

The dragon girl had padded up behind me silently, her hands clutched to her chest. She reached out and touched me, and I had jumped and whirled on her.

"Oh… pardon me…" she stammered, looking rather frightened. "I-I… nothing…" And she fled deep into the ship.

"Myrrh…!" I called after her, apologetic. I had not detached myself from the discussion with Syrene, and turning the full intensity of my attention on Myrrh had probably not been the best thing to do. I sighed. I hoped she would forgive me.

"Sir! Prince Ephraim, Lady Syrene, sir!" Pounding footsteps brought me back to the intensity of the present. A guard in nondescript armour whom I'd posted myself dashed up to us from his station at the gangway. "Enemy soldiers have flooded the docks! It's a trap! Orders, sir?"

I hazarded a quick look. There were Grado troops running towards us, all right. Some of them were at the foot of the gangway already.

I turned back. "All troops prepare to fight!" I bellowed to below decks. Of course, they were ready to fight. I had expected this.

The cavaliers were ready, and it only took a moment to open the horse loading door… or whatever it's called… to let them out. With them I led a charge of foot soldiers backed up by archers to keep the enemy busy while we ran up to them.

We left on the east side of the ship. Deussel led the cavaliers off the west side of the ship, with Rachel among their number in case of emergencies. Syrene and Vanessa shot out of the horse bay and wheeled overhead, dodging flak from enemy magic users.

Then I saw a sight that chilled my skin. Lurching from around the corner of a building appeared first one, then a pack, of revenants. Over on the left, mauthe doogs sprang out at Deussel. Syrene had to swerve suddenly to avoid a javelin from a gargoyle that had been hiding on the stern of our own ship. Far back, at the top of the harbour, I saw a massive slouching figure that I could not identify.

"Th-they're working with Grado!?" I cried. "How can that be?"

I had to duck, then, from the lance of a human cavalier.

It was a hard and cautious struggle up the slope of the harbour towards the upper terraces. As we came closer, I saw what the strange figure was. It was a cyclops, a huge ogre with one eye, hefting a huge axe.

Moulder was there first, guarded by Gilliam and a number of other soldiers. I was close by with my group, but there were a number of enemy soldiers, mostly human, between me and them.

A young boy who had but seen us and joined us, ignored the human enemies, running around them, and caught up to Moulder just as the priest sent a small blast of white light against the cyclops. The monster blinked and swung its axe carelessly at the group, hitting Gilliam with the flat of it. Gilliam went flying.

I whistled as I pulled my lance away from a body and stood watching. There were only a few soldiers between us and them, and some ran.

Gilliam rolled over as he hit the ground and stabbed the cyclops's paw with his lance. I ran forward to help him up, and Syrene landed beside me in a flurry of white feathers.

"My lord!" she cried. "Not too close!"

Her warning was accurate, as the axe whistled past my head. Vanessa, with a shout, tried to distract it by stabbing it in the shoulder, but she barely grazed its tough hide.

A tiny fireball exploded on the back of the creature's head. It turned, blinking, and with a roar of rage, came stomping swiftly towards Moulder and the young boy who had cast the fire spell. An equally young lancer stepped up to defend against the cyclops's charge, and I began to call out an order to rearrange the group, to properly defend against a ridiculously strong axe-wielding foe – which meant, of course, swordsmen – but I was too late. The monster was too close.

An arrow came arcing up from the crowd and plunged right into the ogre's eye. It stopped immediately.

"Now!" I called. "Swordfighters, forward-"

The creature raised its hand to its face, and fell over, dead. The ground shook.

When the dust had cleared, Syrene, after a minute of conferring with the unit captains, came to me and saluted. "The enemy has been defeated, sir, and we're taking care of the wounded now."

"Good job, Syrene. We'll rest in this city tonight. Replenish all the food and weapons, and find a place for us to sleep… Oh, yes, remind every soldier that anyone who breaks the city's laws will be severely punished. Anything else?"

"We should prepare some defence in case we are attacked in the night from the east. Fresh enemy troops could be here at any time."

"Good point. All right, we'll post sentries on three rotating watches at all gates and the east wall. Then tomorrow we'll set out half an hour past dawn. Oh, and please commend those young soldiers who brought down the cyclops. They were very brave."

"Yes, sir," Syrene said crisply, happy, I think, that I had taken some of her advice for once.

"Dismissed. Don't forget to rest, yourself."

"Thank you, Prince Ephraim."

If I had turned my head to the left just slightly, I would have seen Myrrh, cloaked and hooded, staring up at me…

.

The next morning, Syrene came early to see me in my room in the inn. I had just woken and was in the middle of my second piece of toast when she knocked and entered hastily.

I ran a hand through my bed-mussed hair. "Something important?"

"It's… Myrrh," she said, uncertain how to call the girl, I think. Myrrh never talked to anyone very much; she was shy of strangers, and we had been in a whole camp-full of them. "She's been missing since sometime last night. There are no signs of a struggle, and it seems she left of her own accord."

I dropped my toast with my mouth full. I tried to talk and ended up choking and coughing instead.

"My lord!?" Syrene quickly poured me a glass of water. I nodded and sipped it.

"Where did she go? Didn't anyone see her?"

"No, no one at all. The gates were shut all night…"

"She can fly," I said heavily, running a hand over my eyes. "Oh, Myrrh, what are you up to? Prepare to head out. We're heading east."

"Prince Ephraim…"

"Not just looking for her. We'll find her on the way to the capital."

Syrene frowned slowly. "And if we do not find her?"

I glared back at her. "I'll keep looking for her. She is my responsibility. She's alone without her dragonstone, and she doesn't know either the land or the people. Did you hear how I found her?"

Syrene nodded slowly. "Prince Ephraim, I will not stop you in any way. I only want to warn you of dangers…"


	9. Chapter 9: Fluorspar's Oath

Chapter 9: Fluorspar's Oath

.

We marched east along the road quickly all that day. Myrrh could fly, but she was small and could not go fast. I hoped we would catch up to her soon. The horse-mounted scouts were busy; everyone was on edge all that day. We were surrounded by the land of Grado and enemy soldiers could be over every hill.

We came to the wide region of Hanarka, where rivers spiralled and corkscrewed their way down from the northeastern mountains into the western lakes, which fed more rivers leading to the southern sea… There, we found enemies. A whole army of Grado, with more on the horizon, was lining up between the riverbanks.

I discussed tactics with Syrene, riding alongside me.

"The general is distant, but it appears to be Selena Fluorspar," she said.

I nodded. I had met Selena once or twice. She had not yet been a general when I met her, only a commander. She was kind, if reserved.

Rachel pushed up beside us. "I've heard of her. It's said in Rausten she is feared by bandits for her use of Bolting, the lightening spell that strikes from afar without mercy."

"Thank you, Rachel. I will use caution against such magic… Anything else, Syrene?" I asked.

"Vanessa reports there may be bandits in the southeastern mountains, and there are some strange people to the east who do not wear Grado's uniform…"

"How strange?"

"One is a woman, dressed in a short skirt more suited for Jehanna; the others are all big strong men. Perhaps a noblewoman is travelling."

"Then we needn't worry about them just yet. Deussel!"

"Yes, Lord Ephraim?"

"Your company will sweep south along the eastern side of the rivers. Remind your men to look out for the travellers and not to hurt them."

"Understood." Deussel waved his axe and a number of knights, including Gilliam, and also Rachel, headed off with a rumble.

"As for the rest of you, follow me!" I cried, waving my own lance and running down to the west side of the rivers.

I had not gotten far before a familiar small shape came hurtling out of the air towards me. "Myrrh!" I shouted.

She staggered to a stop by my side, her fluffy pigtails askew. I reached out and touched her shoulder.

"Myrrh, thank goodness you're all right. I was so worried!"

She bent her head. "I'm sorry, Ephraim… I… I…"

I knelt. "You lot carry on," I said in Syrene's general direction and turned back to Myrrh. "It's all right now, Myrrh…"

"It's because I forced you to bring me with you… I decided I didn't want to be a burden any longer…" Her crimson eyes were fixed sorrowfully on the ground in front of her, and her hands were clamped tight together. "I truly didn't want to make you worry, but I guess that's all that I did… I didn't even get my dragonstone back…"

"Is that why you left?" I smiled. "I haven't forgotten I need to help you find that. You have my word we'll find it."

"No!" she cried, looking up. "General Selena has it! And she's not a bad person… I spoke to her… and she understood…"

I stood. "I understand. I'll speak to General Selena and try to get her to join us. For now, Myrrh, please go to the back. We will have to fight our way to her, I'm afraid."

She nodded and bounded away. I allowed myself a brief lingering glance at her childlike form, so like Eirika when we were younger.

I shook my head. How many sisters did I need?

I returned to the battle, calling out orders as I fought my way through seemingly never-ending ranks of cavaliers and axemen, with archers and even pegasus knights backing them up. Abrupt lightening bolts creased the sky, and Gilliam for one had a close call on the other side of the field as a tree near him was struck. On our side of the field Moulder was actually hit, and only his innate magic ability saved him from becoming a fried crisp. He took a vulnerary and sat down to rest.

At the south end of the field, I met again with Deussel. "Sir! I have news."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Those travellers we saw were looking for you. Here is their leader, Xavier…"

A big man with a tan and worn leather armour stepped up to me. "You're Prince Ephraim? I'm Xavier, the leader of this band of mercenaries. This is my right hand man, Frank, and this is our dancer, Lara."

"And… why are you looking for me?" I asked, bemused. Syrene, behind me, was tense.

The mercenary captain grinned and held out a letter. "We were hired by Prince Innes a while back while in Carcino. He said to tell you: "I have no need of assistance, Ephraim, but I'm sure you do.""

"That sounds like Innes," I snorted, opening the letter. I scanned it briefly. "At the time of writing, he's going to be meeting with Elder Pablo in a few hours. He has heard Eirika is in the port of Kiris, a couple hours north of where he is…"

"He has his own mercenaries with him… Gerik's Mercenaries. Pretty good group," said Xavier amiably. "I guess that's why he sent us to join you, prince."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Innes is such a… regardless, we're happy to have you fighting along with us." I turned to the rest of those around us. "Let's head to talk to Selena!"

We marched rather slowly up the road towards the island where Selena waited for us, surrounded by dark mage guards.

"General Selena," I called out when we got closer.

"Prince Ephraim," she responded in her confident alto.

"General Selena, I know you've spoken with Myrrh – and I appreciate your not using her as a hostage, by the way. Please withdraw your troops. There's no need for us to fight."

She smiled a little and shook her head. "Yes, I know. I always knew that the emperor is not in his right mind."

"Then why are we fighting!?" I cried helplessly.

"I am a general of the Empire. His Majesty's word is law." Her face hardened.

I ran a hand through my hair. "This is ridiculous. If you know he's not himself, why are you still obeying him? Is that truly loyalty!?"

She nodded rather coldly. "The path I have been given is perhaps foolish, but I am a knight and for me there is no other."

"Selena, please!" I cried in desperation. "Surrender! I don't want to see you die here! It may be a noble death and tragically useless and all but Myrrh will be sad-"

"Me? Die?" She raised an eyebrow. "Prince Ephraim, you do not understand. I have no intention of dying here. I am going to fulfil my Emperor's orders, madness though they be."

"Do you think you can restore him that way?" I grated. She stiffened but said nothing.

Deussel, just behind me, stirred. "Selena, Ephraim is a good lad. Come with us and we shall uncover the truth about the emperor, and do our best to save him."

She smiled and bowed her head. "General Deussel. I owe you an apology. I called you a traitor without just cause. You have never wavered in your loyalty, not for an instant."

I looked back and forth between them, confused. She sounded completely sincere and yet-

"Yet I have no intention of withdrawing. Let us waste no more words, but fight as we must inevitably."

"Old friends must fight, is it?" Deussel said. "I know I'm a stubborn old dog, but you…"

"Have chosen my path."

"I see." Deussel adjusted his grip on his lance. "I, too, have chosen my path. I'm sorry, Selena."

She smiled again, but I could see both of them were holding back pain like a chained hound. How could I end this?

Then she reached out and fire erupted around me.

"Aaaagh!" I cried out in pain, shielding my eyes. I heard Deussel shout, and his horse slammed into Selena's. I staggered out of the fire, glaring with determination. Someone threw a bucket of water from the river nearby over me. Rather anticlimactic-looking, but I appreciated not being on fire.

The ensuing duel was hard. The bodyguards had been taken care of by our pegasus knights, so it was only Selena. Despite being alone and outnumbered, she did not waver at all. Yes, I knew her power was crazy good. But now I knew her courage and will was strong too.

Eventually Deussel killed her horse, and she slipped off to fight on foot.

I don't wish to dwell on her death, especially since I was the one who killed her.

As she stood facing me, one hand pressed to her side, she reached out, and I automatically put my hand out. She dropped something into it and fell back. "Now… I can… rest…"

I looked at the thing. It was a small pebble, seemingly made of dark red glass, with black smoky streaks inside. I nodded. I had a good guess as to what it was.

I went to find Myrrh, but there was no need. She could see for herself that the battle was over and came hurrying out to find me. When she saw that I was alone, her face fell, and when she saw soldiers bearing away Selena's body, it fell further.

The look on her face cut at my heart. She walked up to me, still watching Selena's bier. "Dame Selena," she said softly.

I looked away awkwardly and restrained another sigh. After a long and uncomfortable silence, I turned back to her and handed her the stone. "General Selena gave me a curious stone. It's your dragonstone, isn't it, Myrrh?"

"It is," she responded. "But I'm saddened by its return. It is reunited with me… and yet… I feel so heavy with remorse…"

"Myrrh…" I murmured.

She looked to me suddenly. "Ephraim, can you tell me why this had to happen? Dame Selena was a good person. She was filled with joy when she remembered her emperor. Why did she have to die? Why did we have to fight her?"

I tensed my shoulders. They were a child's questions asked by a kindly, ancient, inhuman intelligence with a child's view, a wounded innocent child, and I could not put them aside like some might with a human child. "I am sorry, Myrrh… I tried my best… If I could have persuaded her to surrender, to lay down her arms, to leave the field, I would have… I had no choice. I know you don't like it, but she stayed to her path… she was trying to kill me as well." My excuses sounded feeble in my own ears. I felt like I had betrayed her trust.

She looked at me more gently then. "I apologize, Ephraim. I was not blaming you. I know you did your best. It's just… I do grieve for her…"

I knelt and reached out to her, and she slowly leaned against me, wet and burnt as I was, her eyes dry, her little mouth set unhappily. I patted her head and held her.

We stayed like that for a few minutes while the activity of the army swirled around us, and then she gave a little sigh and stood up straight.

"I ventured out of the forest chasing after that dark energy… I hoped that I could counteract its evil force." She skewered me with one of those vulnerable, honest looks. "Is your cause so different in the end from Selena's? How many good people must die alongside the wicked?"

"Myrrh…" I said, my forehead wrinkling. I had no answer for that one either.

"What can we do to end this war quickly and stop the awful dying?" She reached out and took a hold of my charred cloak.

"I don't have any answers for you, Myrrh," I answered finally. "But I will go to Grado Keep, and see if I find one there. Will you go with me?"

"Yes," she answered. "I must stop the darkness. We must find the truth behind the madness."

I nodded. I was not yet forgiven, I felt, but I had a chance.


	10. Chapter 10: Father and Son

Chapter 10: Father and Son

.

Barely a day and a night later, we stood looking down on Grado City, the capital of the Grado Empire. It had been so long since I had seen it, and it was the same as ever – proud dark stone walls rising up out of a lush green valley. The Keep stood at the head of the city, even taller. We had not encountered any resistance since Hanarka, which was suspicious to me, but I would take whatever seemed like good fortune I could get. The capital itself seemed normal, if a little quieter than usual; she seemed unaware that a hostile force was camped almost at her very gates.

The last time I was there, two years ago, it had been for my education. I'd studied martial arts with Duessel, but the intellectual side of my studies I was hopeless in. If it hadn't been for Lyon's patient help, I would have flunked every test and then some. Books just held no interest for me. Lyon, on the other hand, absorbed them like a sponge does water, but was defeated soundly by Eirika in combat, so he came to me for additional sparring practice. He and I had a good friendship, each helping the other. And of course he had a good friendship with Eirika; she was more sympathetic than I was, and when I was a jerk, she would comfort him while I snickered at them both or stood shamefaced.

Being a kid was pretty fun in Grado, books aside.

But in the present, I stood under a tree with Duessel and Syrene, examining our courses of action.

"I'd recommend not attacking through the city, if you hope to keep the civilians safest," Duessel said to me.

"Mm," Syrene nodded. "They are still generally ignorant of what has happened to the emperor, and the monstrous state of the continent?"

"As far as I knew," Duessel said. "They are suspicious, but some of the rumours are stranger than truth – though not by much, given what we've learned so far. Ephraim, what do you- Ephraim!"

"Hm?" I blinked, snapping out of my reverie. "Sorry, just wishing we were all kids again. What was that?"

"Come on, lad, pay attention," Duessel said, an eyebrow raised. "I thought you only drifted off in history classes."

"And math classes…" But his point was made. "I'm here. I apologize."

Syrene bowed her head. "No worries, my lord. General Duessel has made the suggestion that we attack the Keep on the side facing away from the city."

I looked at Duessel skeptically. "Won't the whole rest of the army be waiting for us? There are only two gates on that side, and it's the obvious point of attack for us, since we don't want to involve the civilians. And Grado Keep has never fallen, not in all the long years and disagreements since its founding."

Duessel nodded. "True. But that is not the whole plan. You remember how many gates there are on the civilian side?"

I shrugged. "Yes?"

"We have many mercenaries and relatively ordinary-looking soldiers. Even with the defeat of General Selena, they will not be so cautious. Grado has not fought in any of the continental wars for almost two hundred and fifty years. They have forgotten what to do, trusting in their reputation and thick walls to protect them."

"And they don't have your leadership to think of these things," I said, glancing at him sidelong. "So we sneak in our soldiers through the back gates and use them to prevent the Gradonians from closing the front gates when we attack?"

"Exactly," Duessel said.

"It sounds awfully risky to me," Syrene said, frowning. "Our soldiers will have no armour and will be outnumbered."

"That's why we send in the rogues," I said, smiling. "We've picked up a number of them. Also our brawny or skilful soldiers could evade or endure injury long enough for us to get inside and pick them up. We just have to be careful that the people we send don't look like soldiers."

Syrene grimaced. "This sounds ridiculous, but as you are both confident it will work… Once we are inside, we head straight to the throne room, yes? May I suggest a primarily cavalry attack, supported by mages?"

I nodded. "That sounds good, Syrene. Brief your troops. We'll send in the clowns in about an hour, attacking thirty minutes after that."

Both generals saluted and left, leaving me with a small indigo-haired girl who had crept up to me while we were talking.

"Ephraim?" she said, and another earthquake rocked the ground quite forcefully. She cried out and flailed for balance.

I caught her, though she probably didn't need my assistance, and sat down beside her. "What is it, Myrrh?"

She was distracted by the tremor. "Um… Ephraim, are earthquakes really this common in Grado?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. It's always been like this. They say that this valley is slowly moving in two directions on the other side of the city. There's an old road heading up into the hills that they say was straight, back when Grado was founded, but now it's really crooked." I smiled at her. "Don't worry, it's not caused by the darkness."

She nodded, smiling a little back at me. "The earth is alive. The volcanoes on the edge of Darkling Woods show that as well. But… Ephraim?"

"Yes, Myrrh?"

"The darkness is in that castle. A broad pool of it, deep within the walls… so very dark… and cold…" She shivered and pulled her little cloak closer around her, and I put an arm around her, although physically she was not cold in the warm Grado air.

.

The chosen soldiers, volunteers all, wandered down to the city, mingling with the people on the roads pretty well. They wouldn't have much time to get to the gates, especially the ones who had been sent in further back from the castle.

Syrene had lined up her cavalry and the Frelian pegasus corps, waiting for my signal. Without any way for the infiltrating soldiers to warn us, we could only go by the timing – when the bell tower in town struck eleven, we would go.

The bell rang, and I raised my clenched hand in the air and swung up behind Deussel – he would take me to the gates on his horse. With a thunder of hooves and a massive cloud of dust, we charged down the valley side towards the gates.

At the same moment, I heard sudden shouting from within the castle; one of the gates slammed shut, but the other seemed stuck. And the one which slammed, which was the one Deussel and I were headed to, was not barred. After a few minutes, it creaked open a few feet, not much, but enough for us.

Deussel himself, at the gates, dismounted, seized one, and hauled it open. More soldiers did the same for the other gate, and then our cavalry were inside, the cavaliers with their lances set, the mounted mages behind them providing covering fire. I myself darted inside at their head and ran at a small group of enemy swordsmen.

As the battle unfolded, I ended up sending the heavy cavalry down the left hall into the castle, while on the right a smaller guard of infantry captained by Gilliam and healed by Father Moulder held the flank. The enemy fought hard, but they were clearly outnumbered and outmatched, and although they were fighting on their native soil for the capital of their land, they were dismayed. There were also fewer than I expected. Surely my intentions hadn't been that hard to follow? Was something wrong?

But I pushed away those thoughts, as my only goal now was to reach the throne room, where I was certain Emperor Vigarde would be. He never fled from anything, and although Grado had changed so much over the last months, I trusted that he would not have lost that.

Nor was I disappointed. As we broke down the doors to the throne room, evading the eerie light from the Berserk staves held by druids, I saw him. His long greying violet hair still flowed over his shoulders, and his purple cloak fell to his feet around his throne. He rose at our entry, and I saw he was sheathed head to foot in his ornate armour, and he lifted a huge shining battleaxe.

"Vigarde!" I cried, striding up to him as Syrene skewered a druid behind me. "Why did you invade Renais? Why did you kill my father?"

He didn't answer, but stared at me with tired, dead eyes that did not quite rise to my gaze.

"I've waited so long to ask these questions of you. Please! Answer me!"

He stood there, as if waiting for something, and I dropped my head a bit. "So it is true… Your senses are gone. In that case, forgive me."

I moved forward to attack, but my hands were shaking. This man was Lyon's father; the father of my true friend. Even if he was mad, or even – as I now suspected – there was something even darker and more sinister at work in his mind and body, how could I kill him?

I lunged forward and my eyes widened in consternation. That was the clumsiest attack I'd made in months!

"Okay, self, don't quit on me now," I muttered, skipping backwards out of the reach of the huge axe. But my movement was not the fluid, instinctive movements of my normal skill, but the jerky, instinctive scrambling of a complete novice. What was wrong with me?

My breath came in short gasps and I forced myself to control my breathing as Vigarde walked slowly towards me. I dodged under the axe again and rolled to the side and ended up tumbling down the short steps to the throne's dias, cracking my left elbow and shoulder hard. I sprang up with an angry cry of frustration and leapt back up the steps, pulling my lance back, and –

No. That was wrong. That was why I was messing up. I was thinking too hard about it. But now, I couldn't stop! I was too close to him; there was no way to disengage without taking a hit.

Besides, if I pulled out while I was losing, there was no way my body would remember its confidence ever again.

In the time it took me to realize all this, Vigarde had calmly turned to face me and had drawn his axe back in both hands, leaving him wide open.

"Prince Ephraim!" cried Deussel in the melee below me.

I clenched my teeth, seized my lance, and thought of my father.

Reginleif passed cleanly through Vigarde's chest, just as the giant axe sliced cleanly along my thigh.

I choked in agony, but before I could fall to the floor, cool blue-white light surrounded me, and my wound vanished. I glanced around, and Father Moulder was right behind me, his eyes burning with determination and his staff burning with healing power.

Vigarde did fall to the floor, taking my lance with him. But to our horror, his body turned black, flaked at the edges, and crumbled, leaving only a fine black ash inside his clothing and armour.

"What- what just happened?" I said warily, reaching carefully to pick up my lance as if it might be diseased.

Syrene appeared on my other side, saluting. Her posture was tired, and blood was drying on her face from a head wound.

"Prince Ephraim, the castle has been secu- what happened!?" She lost her disciplined stance momentarily as she recoiled from the empty, blackened armour.

"Dark magic, I guess?" I muttered. "Myrrh could tell me. What have you found?"

"The main part of the castle has been secured," Syrene corrected herself. "I will be taking a patrol through shortly to check for pockets of resistance."

"Thanks for telling me. Oh! Wait, I'll come with you. We might find Lyon. He's probably hiding out in his library. Laboratory. Place."

I followed after her as she nodded and strode off, gathering some pegasus knights from her wing to accompany us.

The depths of the castle seemed darker than I remembered. It wasn't as clean as I remembered. There was a strange smell, faint, but strong enough to irritate my nose. I huffed at it. "Looks like the servants were slacking – not that I blame them."

"Indeed, my lord."

"I guess that's what happens when your emperor is a construct, even if no one realizes it out loud. Everything goes downhill, just a little bit at a time."

"Of course, my lord." Syrene's voice was formal, tightly controlled, but there was an undercurrent of affectionate amusement. I glanced at her, but her face was steady and emotionless.

I pointed a finger at her. "If you tell me that I remind you of Innes, I will kick his butt five ways from Wednesday."

I could see her struggling to maintain her composure, trying not to laugh, and inadvertently confirmed my guess. I walked ahead, smirking to myself. Oh, Innes. Such a pain.

Then I turned a corner into a larger room – the antechamber to Lyon's chambers – and my smile faded.

He stood there, lavender hair streaming down his black-cloaked back as he stared out a window. His shoulders were slumped under his ornamental pauldrons, and his hair was unkempt.

"Lyon!" I cried, quickening my pace until I could speak without shouting. He flinched – such a Lyon-ish gesture – and turned to face me. His eyes darkened, literally, as he began to speak.

"Hello, Ephraim. I've been waiting for you. You beat my father? Of course you did, otherwise you wouldn't be down here yet. You really are powerful, aren't you, Ephraim?"

I frowned. His voice was too unconcerned, too confident, too… cheerful. Syrene and her knights hurried to my side, ready to back me up if necessary. "Lyon! Is that really you? What's happened in Grado? Why… everything? What happened to your father?"

His eyes shifted from side to side, his face changing rapidly from one expression to another. He made no move to speak, so I kept asking questions.

"When Grado invaded us, why didn't you stop them? You're not caught up in this madness too, are you? Why would these things happen? You told me that all you wanted was the same thing your father wanted – continental peace!" When he still didn't speak, I shouted at him in anguish. "Answer me, Lyon!"

He whimpered then, a tiny sound, as he doubled up, seemingly in pain. I started to reach for him, but Syrene held me back. I tried to pull away, but stopped as Lyon straightened up with a grim smile.

"Let me tell you something, Ephraim. I've been waiting for this moment for a long, long time." My mouth fell open in shock, but he continued. "I've planned this my whole life. Even before I met you and your sister. But I needed to befriend you two. How else would I know where to attack? Not that I really needed to be so careful; Renais wasn't prepared for any kind of assault! You fools. But thanks to you, I learned all that I needed to know. And not just about Renais, but about Frelia, as well. Why do you think I invaded so quickly there after Renais?"

He stopped, fixed me with a creepy grin, and waved a finger in my face. "Because you betrayed everything you held dear to me, your closest 'friend', while you feigned compassion for my weakness and secretly scorned me behind my back."

I felt like he'd kicked me in the gut, and I interrupted him. "How could you think – we never…"

"Shall I tell you a story?" he interrupted me right back. "Would you like to hear of your father's last moments?"

I stared, trying to see my friend in the grinning monster who stood in front of me.

"You'll laugh, really," he told me, chuckling himself. "He's so weak, and yet he tried so hard. He looked at me, and he couldn't attack me, while Naglfar tore-"

"Lyon!" I barked, trying to tear away from Syrene. More pegasus knights hurried forward to hold me back. Those girls were strong. "Stop insulting my father! Don't make me hurt you – I'm the better fighter and you know it!"

He looked surprised, actually surprised, as if he had fully expected me to join in with him. His reaction confused me. What was going on?

"You're in my way, Ephraim," he growled, angry now, brows lowering over unnaturally dark eyes. His breath came out in a hiss. "You can't stop me. I will destroy the Stones of Jehanna and Rausten. Then no one can stop me. Not even you. I'll save you, you and your precious sister, to the end, so you can see the death of everyone and everything you hold dear…" And then he jerked, like a puppet on a string, and his eyes changed again, and the voice was slightly strangled when he spoke. "Ah… Let's meet again, shall we? Assuming you actually live long enough to die by my hand. Like father, like son, eh?"

I finally tore away from Syrene, reaching out to shake him, to kill him, to hug him, anything to make him tell me what was going on, but purple rune-infested light shot up around him and he vanished. He had teleported away.

I slumped to the floor and sighed in frustration and despair. I didn't understand a thing of what was going on. I wanted to see Eirika. She'd know.

Syrene took a step forward and helped me up, just as a pair of soldiers came hurrying around the corner ahead. "Sir! Sir! We've found the cells. There are captives!"

"Coming at once, men," Syrene said to them, and led me after them.

The cells were grim; the smell of death hung in the air even if executions were held outside. They were also rather full, or at least half-full, which was pretty full by Grado's former standards. I stepped to the first cell, where a small pile of dark robes huddled into the back corner.

"Hello?" I said cautiously.

The figure did not even raise his head. "Who is it? Has my execution been moved up on the schedule?"

"I'm Ephraim of Renais. Who are you?"

Now the figure looked up. "That's an odd name for an executioner." He chuckled mirthlessly. "And an odd question. Wouldn't you know your own prisoners?"

"I'm not an executioner," I told him. "I'm a soldier. I'm here to free you. What is your name?"

He got up and came over to me; a soldier hurried over and unlocked the door for him. "I am Knoll. Until recently, I was one of Grado's top researchers into arcane matters."

"So why are you locked up here?" I asked, helping him out. "And what can you tell me of Lyon? What's happened to him? What is he doing?"

He was silent a moment, looking around with wary, pale eyes.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to…" I began, but was cut off.

"Knoll!" my old mentor stepped up to us. "Glad to see you, at least, are still alive."

"General Obsidian," Knoll responded, bowing. "I can say the same to you."

"I'm not really Obsidian anymore," Deussel said. "I'm serving with Ephraim now. You can tell him everything. He's working to end this war and defeat the monsters."

Knoll paused for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. What were your questions again?"

"What is Lyon doing? I want to ask him myself, but he disappeared."

The shaman stared at me. "You want to talk to Prince Lyon? You really don't know what's happened."

"Please, please, please tell me!" I begged. "Everyone either dies or refuses to talk to me!"

He nodded. "Stop me when you wish. I do not think you will like to hear parts of it. About a year ago… the emperor died. His health had been get worse steadily, and then…"

"Wait, but…" I began. "I just killed him. Except he… dissolved."

"Please let me tell my story in order," Knoll said. I was leading him and Deussel out of the dungeons while Syrene freed the other prisoners. "Prince Lyon was devastated by his father's death and fell into despair. He felt he was unworthy to take the throne, and refused to rule without his father." I sighed in exasperation. That was extreme, even for Lyon. "He began searching for a way to resurrect him…"

"Wait, what?" I blurted out. "That's not even possible! …Is it?"

Knoll frowned. "As you know, the Stone of Grado is possessed of …unique powers. It was once used to seal away the Demon King, and it alone held the dark one's soul. It burned within the Demon King's rage, and we called it the Fire Emblem. Prince Lyon and a team of mages skilled in ancient lore hoped to harness its energies. I remember the joy in Prince Lyon's eyes when he spoke of using it to save lives." Knoll's own eyes lit up, and I could imagine Lyon in his happy moods. "Prince Lyon told us he intended to use the Fire Emblem to restore the emperor. His death had been kept from the public, but rumours were beginning to fly. We knew we had to hurry, before the people learned the truth of the emperor's death. Prince Lyon dedicated himself to research, skipping meals, foregoing sleep… And then…"

"What happened?" I asked, truly anxious.

Knoll sighed. "I wasn't there, so I did not witness it firsthand. But the time I arrived, the deed had already been done. The Fire Emblem had been shattered, split in two. One was a Sacred Stone, and the other…"

"It was evil in a jar, wasn't it," I finished for him.

Knoll nodded once, jerkily. "He called it the Dark Stone. Before my eyes, he brought his father's body to life, and then crushed the Sacred Stone, claiming he needed no other. And then he said… he said that the other stones must also be destroyed, that they were in his way, that he had no need for them now that he had the Dark Stone."

"Right." I nodded. "So all we have to do now is destroy the Dark Stone. But he probably won't give it up without a fight. I wonder if that's why he's been destroying the Sacred Stones? Because they can counteract the Dark Stone? …Why would he give it such a clichéd name, anyway?" I pulled a face. "For all he's a genius, he's not very original."

"What happened to you after that?" Deussel asked gently. "Is that when he threw you in prison to be executed?"

Knoll shrugged. "I was thrown in prison, yes, but the order for my execution only came a short while ago, when the Stone of Frelia was destroyed. And there were a number of people to get through before me. My execution was to be tomorrow. I am saved by chance."

I sobered. "I wish we could have arrived sooner. I heard about Father MacGregor, but I did not know there were others." I kicked a stray arrow, lying spent on the floor from the combat earlier. "What sort of kingdom does that to its own people?"

"This is not Grado anymore, Ephraim," Deussel rumbled. "Or at least, Emperor Vigarde was not Emperor Vigarde, and I would expect Prince Lyon is not right in his mind either. Where is he now, do you think, Knoll?"

"I would that I knew," the shaman said heavily. "Prince Lyon frightens me now. He is transformed…"

"He's… he's still my friend," I said haltingly. "I still want to save him, if I can."

Knoll looked at me, then nodded understandingly. "Come with me."

.

He led us to the castle chapel. I recognized it at once.

"What's here?" I asked. "Surely not the Sacred Stone, since he destroyed it…"

"No," Knoll said. "But I think they might have left something else you might find of use." He went to a heavy ornate chest and lifted the lid. Deussel had to help him. "Ah, yes, they are still here."

"The Sacred Twins of Grado?" I asked. Then I lifted my hand. "Wait, wait, don't tell me. Let me think… ummm… The ancient weapons wielded by the founders of our nations… Grado's were the… Black Axe, Garm, and the magic tome… Glei…p…nir?"

Knoll smiled, probably at the soldier fumbling with his history. "You remember."

"It was something Lyon had to teach me several times over," I said, making a face. "I only ever remember Garm. They are still there? Why?" I wondered if Lyon knew he might become insane and left them for us, but that was a ridiculous thought.

"I do not know," Knoll said. "Regardless, please take them with you."

"That's all right, right, Deussel?" I asked.

"Yes, indeed," the old knight said, lifting the axe with reverence. "This is a beautiful weapon. We shall take good care of it."

I glanced at Knoll, who saw the look, and answered: "I want you to have them. And maybe… Maybe someone else wanted you to have them as well."

We gave the troops a rest, that night, having accomplished our main objective. Deussel and Syrene and I talked a bit late, discussing our next objectives – should we conquer the rest of the country? Should we return to Frelia? Should we press on to Jehanna? – and where the other Generals, Valter, Riev, and Caellach, might be. It was not like Valter, in particular, to leave us alone for so long, and he had not challenged us since we left Bethroen. I was suspicious.

Eventually we retired for the night without coming to a consensus, and woke early next morning, to reconvene in the throne room. Our men had drawn back the curtains, letting warm sunlight into the hall. Deussel and Knoll, on top of everything else, had gotten in touch with people in the city, and already civilians were around, mostly cleaning, restocking, and such. We would leave behind half of our army, no matter what else, to hold the Keep and maintain order.

Surprisingly, the leaders in the city did not seem terribly displeased by our presence. They remembered our nations' friendship, and seemed to regret the war, by the most part, from the reports that were brought to me. Some of the reports, though, brought wild tales of raided graveyards, of howling in the forests and hills, and strange shapes that made people afraid to leave the city after dark. I believed them. They believed that we would protect them better than their insane, war-mongering leadership of the past six months. Perhaps.

Syrene and Deussel were arguing about the significance of the Sacred Stones to military strategy when a loud clatter from the entrance to the throne room caught our attention. An exhausted, trembling pegasus stood there, its rider looking half-ready to fall off at any moment. Soldiers rushed to assist her, and the three of us hurried down, shocked, to meet her.

"What's happened?" Syrene demanded. "Bring this knight a glass of water! What's the news?"

"It's- it's- We've received dire news from Jehanna!" the pegasus knight gasped out, gratefully taking the glass from a young serving girl and sipping it as slowly as she could stand to. Her pegasus had been likewise brought water, and did not hold back. "It's about Princess Eirika and Prince Innes… They're under attack by Grado forces led by Tiger Eye and Moonstone."

"Eirika," I cried, stepping forward.

Syrene halted me with a subtle gesture of her hand. "We were wondering where they were. For them to abandon the capital like that…"

"The Knights of Rausten have ridden to the eastern front to aid Frelia, but the enemy attacks have been brutal. I fear for their survival," the pegasus knight continued, her large brown eyes beseeching us for reassurance.

"We'll march for Jehanna at once! With all the soldiers willing to come with us!" I declared, straightening my shoulders and turning with a swirl of my cloak.

"Prince Ephraim! Even now, we might not make it in time – Jehanna is still several days' travel!" Syrene said anxiously, but I could see she, too, was worried.

"I know," I said. "But Eirika needs rescuing again, and if the Raustenians fail, we're the only ones who can help her. My knights are with her, Seth is with her, but she'll need more than that if she's to escape Caellach and Valter." Especially Valter. I heard how he had hounded her on her chase to rescue me from Renvall. "Besides. Eirika is my sister. That one will never lay down her blade. And I am Eirika's brother. There is no way I'll let my sister die!"


	11. Chapter 11: Scorched Sand

Chapter 11: Scorched Sand

.

We rode a bare half-hour later. Syrene had dispatched Julia all the long way back to Frelia to bring news to King Hayden of Grado Keep's capture.

Despite our haste, it was a long way from Grado to Jehanna. By the end of the first day, we were right in the middle of the high hills a short way north-east from Grado's capital, hills large enough to cast a rain-shadow from the humid southern breezes. The ground was already dryer, and as we hurried on the next day, we saw more and more cacti and less grass. We turned north around midday, seeing few other than scattered nomads and herders.

Partway through the afternoon, we received another message, informing us that Rausten had indeed joined to Eirika's group, but that it wouldn't be enough to save her against both Grado generals. A Frelian army was en route, but they were even further away than we were. If we did not save Eirika, no one would.

The third day I rose early and, taking all who were not already exhausted by the march, came at last near to Jehanna Hall, an ancient stone structure set in a flaxen sea of sand, with an oasis and a few villages clustered nearby.

Jehanna Hall was burning.

It had only just burned on that day, from the thickness of the smoke, but I felt my pulse rise with worry as I gazed at it.

Syrene stepped up beside me.

"Jehanna Hall has fallen," she said quietly. "I am sure the princess was not inside."

My mouth twitched grimly. "It's nothing but a ruin now. Blast! I don't know what's happened, but… I'd better get to her as soon as possible."

"General Seth will have kept her safe," Syrene said reassuringly. "He is a competent commander and no one is more attentive to duty. However, while we are rushing off to rescue your sister, Prince Ephraim, I must ask that you use as much caution as you can bring yourself to do: if you fall, we're all finished. And our horse-mounted units will have much difficulty in this sand."

"Fortunately, we have a whole wing of pegasus knights, more or less," I said, glancing at her. "You'll be the core of our attack today, while our light-weighted mages can deal with the archers that would threaten you. The really heavy cavalry may have to sit this one out."

"Prince Ephraim," Deussel called, riding up to me, "my scouts have information that may change that assessment."

"Go ahead, Deussel."

"To the north is General Tiger Eye, immediately to the west of Jehanna Hall. I believe the princess is there, and it appears that she has many soldiers with her. To the direct east of us, General Moonstone waits, it seems, for stragglers. And, there is a force to the south of our position which will require our immediate attention."

I cursed to myself. Had we been followed from Grado?

"They do not seem well organized, but they are at least a company of magic users well out in the desert dunes," Deussel said. "I would suggest General Syrene's wing attack them, as they are much better suited to that kind of action."

I grimaced, but nodded. "Syrene, please take care of it. If mages got in among our rearguard, we'd come back to chaos."

"I agree, Prince Ephraim, but who will you take with you to the main battle?" Syrene asked, frowning.

"If Valter is in the east, the land does not seem so sandy between here and there," I said, pointing. "We can take the heavy cavalry that far, at least. After that…" I turned and squinted out over the desert, trying to see Eirika's forces.

"How many did you say Eirika had, Duessel?"

"I couldn't say, Prince Ephraim, but it was a surprisingly large force. We could see about twenty, perhaps, but there may be more unseen."

"That is more than I expected," I said. "I suppose the Raustenians joined up with her. What is she doing in Jehanna, anyway? This was where Innes was supposed to be. She didn't decide to tag along with him, did she?"

"You can ask her soon," Deussel told me, with a flash of a smile. "Pick your troops and we'll head out."

"Right," I said. "Deussel, I want you beside me…" I felt a tug on my sleeve and turned. "Myrrh?"

"Ephraim…?" she whispered. "I-is now a bad time?"

"We're just about to set out, Myrrh, and it's going to be dangerous for a bit. I need to rescue Eirika and there's going to be enemy soldiers all over. It's going to be especially dangerous with Valter around. You should stay in one of these villages until the fighting is over-"

"No," she said serenely. "I can't do that."

"Myrrh," I frowned.

"Ephraim, I need to go with you. Saleh is there. I know he is."

"Saleh…? Oh, right, your friend?"

"Yes. Please let me go with you, Ephraim. I have my dragonstone. I fear nothing."

I sighed. Those big crimson eyes were going to be the death of me. "Deussel, stay close to me and take Myrrh with you."

"Yes, Prince Ephraim," the old knight nodded. "Up you come, Miss Myrrh." She tucked in behind him, a tiny patch of indigo against Deussel's rust-red armour.

"All right!" I said. "Good luck, Syrene, and we'll see you soon. Let's go! I need to know Eirika's safe!" I turned and led the small chosen group around the bend in the road onto the plain before Jehanna Hall, as Syrene and her wing of pegasus knights took off and headed south, shining in the blinding sunlight.

There were a number of soldiers near the village directly north of us, but they were not expecting us. Between Knoll's dark magic that blasted them from far away, and Deussel's plethora of deadly weapons, and my lancework, we fought our way through them before they had time to send anyone for help.

North. Eirika was north. Valter was east. But he wasn't moving, so we could safely concentrate on Tiger Eye. Valter never had been a very good strategist, only interested in the blood he shed himself, and as for Caellach, he was a mercenary, a lone wolf.

I plodded north across the dunes as fast as I could. I could hear battle from ahead of me, behind the waves of sand. There was someone coming up the other side of the dune, someone with long hair-

I launched myself at the someone, and the end result was that I tackled my unsuspecting sister with a bear-hug, knocking her over and into the sand. "Eirika!" I cried.

"Ephraim!?" she squeaked. "Oh, Ephraim, is it really you?" She squirmed, trying to get away, but I was just so happy to see her unharmed that I sat up and crushed her against me. I even kissed her cheek. "You're not just some mirage, are you?" The way her voice sounded told me she'd been seeing mirages for some time. Silly Eirika.

"No, it's really me," I told her, grinning. Then I heard the noises of weapons from some way behind me and stood abruptly. "Hold," I told her. "Enemies approach."

Deussel and Knoll, following me more closely than the rest of my troops, were in danger of being surrounded by cavaliers, but with my help, they held out long enough for more of Eirika's troops to come up and assist. There were a number of the mercenaries I'd seen before, and a whole lot of new people, too.

"Lady Myrrh!" called one of the new people, and I turned to see a young man with curly grey hair hurrying towards us.  
Myrrh dismounted, her face alight with happiness, and half-ran, half flew to his side. "Saleh… I knew you were here. I apologize for everything… For worrying you so… I am sorry…"

"No, Lady Myrrh, it is I who should apologize. But I will protect you from now on, as long as your mission shall last. Please let me stay with you."

"Of course, Saleh."

I approached the two. "So this is Saleh, Myrrh?"

Myrrh nodded. "Ephraim, this is Saleh. He's been searching for me. Saleh, this is my friend Ephraim. He's been protecting me ever since you and I were separated."

The sage bowed to me, smiling. "You have my deepest gratitude, Prince Ephraim. I am glad she found such a friend in you."

I shrugged. "I couldn't do otherwise." I couldn't think of anything else to say, but he seemed satisfied, and Myrrh seemed happy, so I let it be.

I had my hands full, then, directing the newly-swelled army. I was calling orders when I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned, slightly annoyed with being interrupted yet again.

It was Innes. "Well met, Ephraim."

"Innes. I'm glad you're still alive too."

He smirked at me. "You didn't think they'd get rid of me so easily, did you?"

I shrugged. "Anything can happen in this war. But I guess not to you."

"Look at you, commanding this big army. I assume you've taken Grado Keep, too. You're all grown up now, boy."

I rolled my eyes. "Any other day, I'd pound you flat, Innes, but not now. Valter's still loose and the rest of their army needs my attention."

"Where are the Frelians?" He looked around, shielding his eyes with his hand.

"South," I said. "There was a company of mages on our tail, so I sent Syrene to deal with them. She'll be back shortly."

"I see." He stood for a moment. "I would really like to offer my services…"

I glanced at him after waving to Kyle and Forde, who were still bickering even as they rode past me. "You mean, command part of the army? Well, you're pretty good, Innes… maybe even as good as me." His eyes narrowed, but he knew I was teasing and held his peace. "You get along well with Seth? You two can keep commanding Eirika's bunch until we can integrate commands, later tonight."

"That is acceptable," he said, although his face changed slightly at Seth's name. I wondered what was up, but I had no time to think about it as I was called away by Knoll at that moment.

Forde's horse was stuck in the sand, and Knoll was doing his best to keep it up with magic, but he needed soldiers to help haul it to firm ground.

"Forde!" called Kyle as the shame-faced knight leaned on the rope. "This comes of arguing with me and not watching where you're going!"

"Oh, hush, mom," Forde shot back. "It's not really your problem, anyway, so…"

And there was Franz, joining in to pull his brother's horse to safety, and a small blonde knight-girl whom I hadn't seen before. So many familiar faces.

While I had been distracted with Forde's horse, Innes had taken the rest of Eirika's troops and destroyed the last of the Grado forces. He looked smug when we joined up again, but said nothing. I wouldn't let it bother me, anyway…

I had barely time to catch my breath when I saw an anxious red-haired paladin approaching me. "Seth! How have you been? Unhurt, I hope?"

"Prince Ephraim," he answered me. "I have been well, and I hope you can say the same. However, I have not seen Princess Eirika in at least twenty minutes and I am starting to be anxious, as General Valter has not been seen in… nearly an hour."

"I wondered why we didn't get hit harder from the east," I acknowledged. "But I haven't seen Eirika since I bumped into her, and that was a while back. Deussel!"

Deussel saluted me. "Yes, my lord?"

"Has anyone seen Eirika in the last little while? We haven't."

Deussel spoke to some people, then shook his grey mane. "No one has seen her since the last enemy soldier surrendered."

"Eirika?" said Myrrh from my other shoulder. "Your sister? She ventured into that village." She pointed toward a slightly smoking pile of ruins not far away. "I do not think anyone else saw her, but I did not think there was any danger. Perhaps she went to think."

"Yes, I saw her too," piped up a pink-haired archer nearby, from behind her blue-haired boyfriend. Had I seen them before? "I can show you where she went in?"

"That wouldn't be like Eirika to go alone," I said. "Come on, Seth. Let's go drag her royal stubbornness back again."

"Yes, sire," he said, and fell in behind me. "Princess Eirika has not been doing well in the heat. I would believe she became lost, rather than adventurous."

"All right, that makes sense too," I said, climbing over fallen masonry. "Wait. Do you hear that?"

He tilted his head, then nodded. It was the sound of steel on steel, somewhere from the centre of the ruined village.

"Come on," I said, and began to run.

Then I heard Eirika shriek, cut off suddenly, and rounded a corner to see the worst thing ever: Eirika, pinned against a wall, being kissed by Valter Moonstone.

"EIRIKA!" I screamed, darting forward in a fury. Everything was crystal clear to me, everything was slowed. The gravel crunched under my feet. Seth was right behind me, his sword ringing in its scabbard as he drew it, although he seemed to have stopped breathing.

Valter turned, his hair swinging around his shoulders, and threw my sister down onto the ground as he sprang away to his wyvern. Safely astride before I could get there, he began to laugh. "Three of my worst enemies in one place! Excellent! I can finish what I started! Yes, you, Paladin of Renais, whom I failed to slay the day your pitiful castle fell, and the weak fool who refused to surrender!"

"VALTER!" came a shriek from above, and another wyvern plummeted down onto the roof of a nearby house, cracking the walls. A blonde, scarred knight rode it, but his face was so creased in anger I had no idea if I knew him or not. Valter flinched at his arrival. "You killed my brother! Admit it!"

Valter bared his teeth at the newcomer. "I do."

"DIE!" In a flurry of dust and sand, the two wyverns flung themselves into the air, but I was already moving, in three steps to Eirika's side, throwing my arms around her protectively. She was shaking, and I didn't blame her. She was mumbling something repeatedly, apologizing.

She had just about stopped shaking when the wyvern rider caught up to Valter and scored a lucky hit on him, hurling a lance through his chest, killing both rider and wyvern. The resultant crash into a building beside us made Eirika jolt, and I patted her shoulder, trying to calm her down again.

"Brother…" she murmured as I took her out of the village.

I smiled at her, all tension relieved now that she was safe with me, unhurt – more or less – and with a dead Valter behind us. "I'm just glad I came in time."

She smiled tremulously. "Oh, Ephraim, I've missed you so." I hoped she wouldn't burst into tears.

"And I've missed you. I can't tell you how happy I am, really, Eirika." I needed something to distract her, and signalled Deussel to come over and show her the Sacred Twin weapons we'd picked up. Not that Eirika was so interested in weapons, but any distraction was better than nothing.

She, of course, picked up on the implications. "Does that mean that Grado Keep has fallen?"

"Yes. I conquered the capital and defeated Emperor Vigarde…"

"Eirika," called a blonde woman who looked vaguely familiar, but not really, "may I make a suggestion? Why don't we get into one of those out-fortresses and trade information? And then, we can stay the night there. I don't think Prince Joshua would mind, would you?" She looked kindly at a red-haired youth with a pirate hat. Wait, wasn't he one of Eirika's mercenaries? How was he a prince? I made a mental note to ask someone soon.

.

In a fortress, I gave my report to our royal colleagues – and Myrrh – just as I would have done in Renais or Frelia. It felt weird, without Father or King Hayden there to oversee us. Did that mean we were growing up? This certainly wasn't play-acting. This was serious. But we were just kids, really.

They took the news well, although then there followed a discussion of Knoll's knowledge and Lyon's sanity. Eirika, of course, refused to believe anything bad of her best guy friend, although her news confused me. Apparently she had seen Lyon just that day, and showing no sign of the monster I had glimpsed. He travelled fast, or maybe he had a double… maybe he had split in two even as the Dark Stone split in two? That sounded ridiculous, so I kept it to myself.

The solution, of course, was to go get a Sacred Stone. We'd go to Renais, get ours, and then… chuck it at Lyon's head, or something, and see if that countered his Dark Stone enough that we could either restore his sanity or take him down with weapons. I really didn't want to do the second. But if we had no choice, I'd do what I had to.

With that determined, we split up, left to our own devices.

"Kyle! Forde!" I greeted my knights in the stables. "How's it been?"

Kyle saluted. "It has been an honour to serve Princess Eirika, my lord."

"You mean it hasn't been boring," Forde said, and grinned. "Monsters and disguised princesses and dragon girls, oh my."

"The dragon girl only showed up again for you today," I reminded him. "I got the rough story from Eirika already. Just wondering how you were holding up."

"We're good!" Forde said. His face lowered a bit. "It hasn't been easy, sir, not with Renais gone. The journey's been long, up mountains and down mountains, and over deserts…"

"You're so lazy," Kyle scolded, and Forde brightened up again and laughed. "I can tell you that while we missed your tactical brilliance and inspired leadership, sir…"

"Suck-up," muttered Forde, and dodged Kyle's mock-punch.

"…fighting alongside the soldiers and mercenaries in this company has brought us all new friends."

"What about you, sir?" Forde asked.

"Yeah, it was interesting," I said. "I met lots of people too. Hey, if you ever want to get beat up and Seth or I are busy, try General Deussel. He's my old teacher."

"Thank you, sir," said Kyle. "You should get some rest. We'll get the story out of someone later. For now, you've traveled far today."

"Are you kicking me out?" I asked, grinning. Kyle shook his head quickly, and I laughed, then sobered. "It has been a long day, Kyle, and I've had a lot to think about these last few weeks. Lyon… I don't know what to think about him. But I won't dump that on you now. You have your own problems. You're right. I'll leave you to your horses. Take care!"

"You too, sir," they chorused after me.

.

Dusk really wasn't bedtime yet, so I went to the palace garden, looking for Eirika – I figured she would be in someplace beautiful. My sister was a fighter, but for her was not the barracks of rude soldiers, that was certain.

I almost walked out on them, but stopped myself behind some kind of rosebush just in time – Seth and Eirika were embracing, murmuring to each other. There was a ring on her finger! That hadn't been there an hour ago.

I smiled to myself. I'd always had my suspicions, but I never thought Seth would make a move. He was too reserved. I guessed that the uncertainty of war, too many close calls, and perhaps perpetual proximity to Eirika had changed his mind. The knight and the princess – it was almost too perfect. I grinned to myself. And Seth had my respect as a man and a soldier. He would treat Eirika right. And he was patient enough to put up with her, too.

They sat down, and I thought of going away, but before I could, Eirika jumped up, looking in my direction with a scarlet face. So I came out. "Well, Seth, you're a very lucky man."

The general himself blushed, looking at my knees instead of at my face. "I know, sir. Thank you, sir."

Eirika was, apparently, still afraid of my reaction. "Um… Ephraim…"

I almost snorted. "Hey, sister, it's perfectly fine! Seth is the best man in Renais. You deserve each other." They looked at each other in disbelief. Seriously? It was so hard to believe that a prince would let the highest-ranked military man marry a princess? "So, I'll just leave you again… I've been chatting with Kyle and Forde. Thanks so much for the loan of the soldiers you sent me, by the way."

Eirika still couldn't believe it. "Please, Ephraim, don't tell anyone just yet…"

"I understand." Well, I didn't really, but I'd do as she asked. It wasn't like she'd keep it to herself for very long, anyway. I touched her face fondly. "I think you'll be happy together."

I walked away, feeling extraordinarily smug. Something had gone right for once.

And they would be happy together, or I'd beat Seth up and down the entire country. But I had nothing to worry about, because Seth would sooner kill himself than go back on his loyalty. And love was just a stronger kind of loyalty, right?

I thought about Lyon again and shivered.


	12. Chapter 12: Ruled by Madness

Chapter 12: Ruled by Madness

.

We had a three-day journey of hell, next. Our entire multi-national army packed up from Jehanna and trekked back to Renais. It had been so long since I'd seen my home. Not since the very beginning of the way, so long ago.

The change was horrifying. I had left green fields and orchards, neat clean villages, smooth roads, an air of contentment. I returned to desolate, bare, and burned wastelands, villages fallen into disrepair, and the roads half-washed out in some places.

Strange how only a few months could wreak such havoc in a place used to being well-kept.

And that made me value all the more how peace was a good thing. I hadn't thought about it much before. War was death, but it was also glory and the thrill of skilled combat, the chess-game of tactics, the raw adrenaline of battle. And I kept a tight hold on my armies, never allowing them to loot, pillage, or burn.

But the world wasn't as honourable as I was. Or maybe just insane-Lyon.

His words haunted my mind. This was what he had planned since before he met us? Surely Grado had no need to be jealous of little Renais, peaceful and prosperous though it had been.

But now, my resolve was hardened, and my priorities straight. I wish it hadn't taken the destruction of the home I loved to teach me the point, but Renais had been, with all its minor, niggling problems, the best place to live and grow up. Sure, there were bandits, and greedy merchants and corrupt councilmen, but the people had been mostly decent and happy. And it's so hard to make a country happy, or so I vaguely understand from the histories Father MacGregor had tried to pound into me.

I would return her to that state again. Glancing at Eirika, I could tell that she felt the same.

The road up to the castle stank of blood and filth, and no one appeared to greet us, to welcome us with either hugs or weapons. The castle itself was sad and blackened, and the main gate was broken. The portcullis was listing to one side in its slot.

It was the castle that stirred me to speech. "What has happened to our home? How did it come to be so ruined? So desolate?"

Seth moved his horse up behind Eirika. "Spies have told me that the traitor Orson has taken up rule of Renais. He makes no move to govern; he does nothing to check the progress of brigands and monsters roaming… He sits alone in the King's former bedchambers. No one is allowed to enter… he takes no meals…"

Huh? Then how was he surviving? Was he sneaking out as an alter ego, stealing food from people?

My brain was weird.

"What could he be doing?" Eirika asked in wonder.

"The spies had no insight into his behaviour…" Man, Seth was good. I just asked him to find out what was happening at the castle if possible, and he handled it all.

Still, more important things were at hand. "I realize, in retrospect, that he'd been acting rather odd for a while," I said, and was glad that my voice was more under control than it had been a minute ago while I was still staring in shock at the scenery. "His wife died about six months back – do you remember that? I suspect the turmoil was too much for his mind to bear."

Eirika seemed barely to have heard me. "Let's go home," she whispered.

"Yes. We're going to the castle, Eirika."

Quickly, I organized our forces, placing our homeland knights in charge of leading different groups of forces. I kept Seth with me, so we could pool our strategy. Innes had to work with Forde, which I did not realize until after I asked him to guide the Frelians – I'd seen him making eyes at one of the pegasus knights for a few days, and was thinking of accommodating that… But in retrospect, it was probably entertaining for everyone around them. As long as no one got killed.

I was giving quiet orders when I felt a familiar tug at my sleeve – I had dismounted, as this horse was for travelling, not combat – and turned to see Myrrh, looking unusually determined.

"Yes, Myrrh? I was going to ask you and Saleh to sit out…"

"I want to fight," she said in her little voice.

"You… what? Wait, what?" I surely hadn't heard her correctly.

"I can, you know," she continued calmly. "Since Selena returned my dragonstone, I haven't used it yet, but I can. My power will surely keep you safe."

"Well… I can't exactly stop you, Myrrh. But don't go running off. Even if you're a dragon, I still worry about you."

She nodded and smiled, and tucked in behind Eirika.

The first time she transformed into a dragon, I fell over, hurling myself into the wall in panic as this giant green-gold form came whooshing past me, and the wall of mercenaries coming at us vanished in a blast of flames.

Our separate groups fought through the castle. Even if the mercenaries had been there a month or two, they didn't know the castle like Eirika and I did. We'd played hide-and-seek in these corridors many times… Funny how that was turning into a survival skill. Not one I'd ever peg as essential, hide-and-seek… but it did give us an edge when we took short-cuts or one of the mandatory secret passages.

Orson was in the throne room, at the back of the keep, of course. While I sent the knights to clear the mercenaries and Gradonians off the walls, we confronted him. He had brought his horse. Well, so had we, but it wasn't polite to bring horses in the throne room except in an emergency.

I'd say retaking the kingdom from neglect and misuse was an emergency.

"Orson!" cried my sister, on seeing him. "Why did you betray us?"

"Princess Eirika… If anyone could understand how I feel, it might be you." He looked at the ground around him, not meeting her eyes. "For the one I love… I betrayed everything… My king… Everything…" Somehow, hearing that dull, pathetic voice cooled the rage and pain that had welled up on seeing him. He had put me into Valter's clutches, almost led Eirika to her death, tried to steal both of our bracelets for whatever reason, and let the kingdom be overrun with lawlessness, destruction, and monsters. But he was dead inside already.

He looked up. "Seth. …So you've come, have you?"

"Sir Orson," Seth replied, taking that as his cue to issue him a silent challenge to single combat. Our general was nothing if not honourable. I wondered suddenly. If something were to happen to Eirika, would Seth go crazy like Orson? Orson had been just as honourable as Seth. Even less of a sense of humour, perhaps, and a little older, but they had been very similar back in the good old days.

Orson seemed to be thinking along similar lines, although he wouldn't know of Eirika and Seth's engagement. "You're an impressive knight, Seth. Always dutiful, ready to sacrifice even your life for king and country… Without even a moment's pause… I – could not do that. It's an unrewarding life… For Monica, I left it."

But not until after she had died…

"That life you speak of… it is my charge," Seth replied with steel in his voice. "My duty. It is my hope." Of course, since Eirika was the princess, and would be Queen with me eventually, Seth would have no reason to betray her even if something happened to her. Which it wouldn't, because he and I would defend her to the death, and she was a fierce little scrapper herself. I wondered if Seth had given anything away with that little speech? "Sir Orson… I do not wish to fight you, but… prepare yourself."

I couldn't help myself – I was grinning as I watched them. Single combat between masters was always exciting, even if it was to the death. Oh hey, Seth had his shield again. I hadn't noticed it was missing until now, when he had it again. Well, that would help him, even if he was out of practice with it. But it seemed that Orson was out of practice with combat altogether. Seth clearly outclassed him, even with the shorter range of his sword to Orson's lance.

The flurry of their battle was wonderful, and I could barely keep myself from cheering Seth on. It would be very un-princely to do such a thing, so I kept my mouth shut.

Seth unhorsed Orson, and dismounted as the other knight struggled to his feet. Forde took charge of Seth's horse as the fight progressed to sword on sword.

Even if Orson was out of practice, both of their forms were superb. It was a shame he had become so unhinged as to go over to the other side. He was really good.

Even as I thought that, Orson jerked forward in a strange way, and ended up on the end of Seth's sword. Seth flinched and pulled back, even as Orson fell to his knees. He hadn't been pulling his punches, but either the shock of having just slain a former colleague, or just not having intended to kill him with that stroke, I could tell he was shaken. Even more than he had been before.

And it took a lot to mess with the Silver Knight's stoic calm.

"Monica…" Orson gasped, and fell to the ground with a smile. If I hadn't been creeped out before, that definitely did it.

And the worst was still to come.

Seth took a moment to collect himself before turning to us and bowing, as if nothing had happened. Saleh, Myrrh's constant companion, healed him. "Prince Ephraim, Princess Eirika, the castle has been secured," Seth said. I briefly wondered about the walls, but they would be no problem if they hadn't been finished yet. The throne room was the main thing.

I knew what our first objective was. "Let's see what Orson was doing in my father's bedroom."

I gave orders for people to start claiming sleeping spaces, and for someone to clean the kitchen so we could have a proper meal for once, and then the three of us went upstairs to the royal chambers.

That room, like the rest of the castle, had not been cleaned, and it stank of revenants. What on earth had he been…?

A woman… no, the corpse of a woman with grey skin and matted hair ran in. "Darling…" it said.

"What?!" the three of us gave a collective gasp. That was Monica's body, upright and talking. A shiver went up my spine as if a cold hand with a handful of ice had run along it.

"…That's… horrible…" I said, studying her. It was Monica, all right. I recognized her. She'd been a cheerful person, the life of the party, when she was alive. She had had a smile on when she ran out to us, but now her face had crumpled into flat disappointment.

"Darling. Darling," she chanted. "Darling… darling… darling… darling…" I was revolted. Even if Lyon could raise the dead, he couldn't restore intelligence, it seemed, much less a soul.

"So this is what he was doing," said Seth grimly.

I turned to Eirika and let her out of the room by the shoulders. "Eirika, you don't have to look anymore." She was even more devastated than I was; I could tell.

I went back in and looked at Seth. "We can't leave her like this."

"I know. But I feel rather horrible doing it."

"More horrible than this unnaturalness?"

"…No."

I stepped up to Monica, who shrank back in simulated fear. "I'm sorry you had to go through this, Monica. Rest in peace from now on, okay? Orson is waiting for you." And I plunged my lance through her heart.

I heard Seth swallow hard, and I gagged for a moment as my eyes stung. I wanted to swear, so much. This wasn't supposed to happen.

I pulled my lance from her body. "No one should have to be buried twice. I don't care if the Sacred Stones themselves brought someone back to life."

"I… agree," Seth said haltingly from behind me. "Let us leave."

I didn't even stop to lay her out. Afterwards, I felt terrible, but I wasn't going back in that room. I wondered who would deal with her remains, then resolved to think about that later. There would be plenty of time later. I shook myself. "Let's go find that Sacred Stone."

Seth nodded and turned, leading us back to the throne room. It was empty again, with everyone off grabbing corners for sleeping bags. I was glad. I would prefer not to find the Sacred Stone in front of an audience.

"Your father said to me: 'Raise the twins' bracelets in the hall of kings. Then the hiding place of the Sacred Stone will be revealed,'" Seth said.

"So, over our heads, right?" Eirika asked. Father's wording wasn't terribly clear, I agreed silently.

"Let's give it a try, Eirika."

"Ready when you are, Ephraim."

As we raised our arms simultaneously, our bracelets flashed with brilliant light and I had to shut my eyes. I was half-blinded anyway.

As I blinked away the blindness, I saw the throne slide to the right, and behind it, a dim entranceway in the stone.

"Come on, Eirika," I said, and started forward.

There were stairs, and a tunnel, and then we found ourselves in a small arched room made of white stone. At the back was carved a small alcove, framed by the biggest, most amazing lance I'd ever seen – and I'd seen Vidofnir in Frelia, the Winged Lance – and a golden sword.

In the alcove, illuminating the room far better than the magic torches on the walls, was a small crystal sphere, glowing with white light.

I walked slowly towards it and picked it up. It drew me. "This is what we have come to find."

I turned to Eirika and smiled joyfully. We could do this. We could win this war. With this precious, precious jewel, we could not fail.

Eirika rested her hand on mine and smiled back.

Our bracelets flashed again, Eirika squawked, and my grip on the Sacred Stone tightened reflexively. The bracelets flashed with an increasing pulse, and soon I had to close my eyes again because it was so dang bright.

"Aureola!" Eirika cried. Great, so that overfed over-named nuisance was here. Well, I couldn't begrudge her joy at seeing her horse again, I thought as I put the Stone safely away, because…

"Lila!" And I hugged my stallion. Aureola and Lila, brother and sister as we were, two white horses. The bracelets had summoned them? "I thought you were dead, boy. We got separated in the swamps… but you found your way home."

At least, I assumed that's what happened. What else could have happened?

I hardly noticed Seth come up and kneel before us, until I caught sight of what he was offering me. "Here, Prince Ephraim, is the Sacred Twin Lance of Renais. Please take it."

"Sigmund, the Flame Lance," I said with awe. I could feel the power in it as I took it from him. With my horse and this lance, I'd be unstoppable. Oh, and with my army too. There was also that.

"And the Sacred Twin Sword of Renais, Princess Eirika."

"Sieglinde, the Thunder Blade," Eirika said, and in response to her words, the sword hummed a little. Did mine hum? It probably didn't. Fire didn't hum. It roared. And thunder… rumbled? Lightening crackled? I wondered why it hummed after all, I guess. "The ancient weapons of our ancestors…" Eirika continued, "containing such power as… and yet we need them for peace to triumph in this dark time."

I nodded, and gestured to the door. "Shall we?"

I emerged first, and saw Innes and L'Arachel hanging around. I gave them a peek at the Sacred Stone.

"Is that the Sacred Stone?" L'Arachel asked, just to be sure. "Wow! It truly is spectacular. Well, our course is, to me at least, clear. I must lead you to Rausten."

Innes looked both amused and skeptical at the same time. "Not till tomorrow, I hope."

"Naturally," she rejoined, and suddenly I hoped these two would get married. Wait, that wouldn't happen… she had that Carcinian rogue shadowing her.

"Thank you, L'Arachel," Eirika said, and the Princess of Rausten waved at her in a friendly way as she left, already beginning to chatter to herself about preparations. Innes lingered a moment, and then he left as well.

"Well," I said. "Now what are we going to do with our home?"

"We can repair the castle," Eirika said thoughtfully, "and what was stolen we can do without… The real damage is in the suffering inflicted on the people of Renais."

"It's too late to undo their pain," I agreed. My heart sank. "Once peace is truly restored, and I become king, we must set this all right. But how will they greet me? I did abandon them at the start of the war, off to play soldier. All I can do is be responsible, starting now."

"You've been responsible ever since we got back to Frelia, Brother," Eirika said fondly. "And when you came to rescue me from Renvall, there was that, too."

Seth had gone out at some point – I could never keep track of him – and now he was coming back to us, his face alight with some strange excitement.

"Come quickly and look outside!" he said to us, and we followed him at a brisk trot, all three of us leaving our horses.

As we came to the wall over the gate, we saw people. Many people; the whole populace had come up from the city and gathered in front of the gates. So our passing had not been missed, then. When they saw us, they all burst into cheers and shouts – and a few sexy whistles, which made me laugh.

"Prince Ephraim!" I heard. "Princess Eirika! Long live Renais!"

I was stunned. I had not expected this kind of welcome. And so shortly after I had been thinking the exact opposite…

Seth analyzed it better. "They're not actually cheering for you, much as they loved you before. They are cheering for the end of Orson's misrule. For the possibility of a better tomorrow, not the end of a dark day."

"Tomorrow it will be up to us," I said firmly. "I will not let their hopes and dreams be shattered again." I looked out at them all and waved – beside me, Eirika gave a cute little wave of her own. "We'll live up to Father's rule, right, Eirika?"

"Yes, we shall," she said, with determination, smiling, practically glowing in the adoration of her people. I caught her sneaking a glance at Seth, and he gave the ghost of a smile and bowed slightly to her.

"I should have stayed home to defend them," I said wistfully. "Not gone charging off with dreams of personal glory. I never really understood Father, but he must have been so disappointed in me…"

"I think he understood you better than you might guess," Eirika said softly, over the continued noise of the crowd. "He only worried for your safety, and every time we had news that you were still fighting, it brought a smile to his face. He asked for news every day, even if he knew there wouldn't be any."

"Indeed," Seth put in. "He often commented to me that you would make a fine king someday."

"I'm sure it came with unspoken caveats," I said, but I was reassured. "I should tell these people we're not sticking around for very long."

"That is an excellent idea," Seth said. "Shall I get someone to make posters of whatever you say to distribute?"

"What? That sounds… scary."

"It's perfectly normal…"

"All right. I'm just not used to the idea. Well, here goes." I raised my arm for quiet, and the cheering died down.

"Princess Eirika and I thank you for your welcome," I called over the crowd, glad that my voice was strong from calling orders in battle. Was that what my father was talking about, how I would make a good king? Nah, he was smarter than that. "Sadly, we cannot stay for long. We both grieve for the wounds of Renais, and long for nothing more than to stay and repair the damage done. However, the world is still in peril. Although Grado has been defeated…" I had to pause for some cheers. "Although Grado has been defeated, the Demon King has escaped and now commands his army of darkness once again. We must take the fight to him, wherever he may be." A few scattered whoops. I'd have to stir them up, perhaps? "I say to you: take hope, and stay strong. Eirika and I have one of the last Sacred Stones in possession, and with our brave knights and talented soldiers, we shall go kick him back into the abyss from whence he came!" More cheers. That was more like it. "So begin to rebuild as you can. Orson is gone and you are safe from him. Beware of the monsters still abroad, but think of us! We will be out there, in service to you and to the whole world, destroying the Demon King and his minions, and we shall never give up, though we perish in the doing of it. For though we die, _we shall not fail_." A roar of cheers. I hoped it was for the determination, not for the potential death.

With a last wave, we both turned and headed back inside, followed by Seth.

Eirika hugged me. "That was really good, Brother!"

"Thanks," I told her, although I felt a little shakier than when I addressed the army – when I didn't feel shaky at all.

"Let's hope things go as I said they would."


	13. Chapter 13: River of Regrets

Chapter 13: River of Regrets

.

We packed up and left early in the morning, travelling more directly east so as to come around the mountains and then straight north into Rausten. It would be a week's journey.

The townsfolk had been busy; we'd received several donations of food and even gold during the night. I was touched, and for several days the thought of my upcoming responsibilities weighed heavily on me.

The monsters steered clear of us for many days. I think Jehanna was too hot for them, even though we were more in the cooler, scrubby northern part of it. The Grado Army, too, was in disarray and scattered through the land. I was certain that Ly- the Demon King still commanded an organized part of the army, perhaps several parts. But I didn't know where they were. I would trust in the scouts.

We found them – or perhaps they found us – by the banks of Jehanna's Narube River. I was with Eirika, talking about the route for the day, when Innes butted in. Well, I guess he didn't butt in. Since I had turned command of the Frelian Army back over to him, he'd been part of our tactical council, Seth, Innes, Syrene, and me. It actually felt pretty good, having several sharp minds on the same problem.

Anyway, we'd just been going along, when Innes finally informed us: "I sent the Frelian Army ahead to clear a path for us." I glanced at Seth and he nodded; he'd known. Why hadn't I known? I needed to know these things…

Before I could get mad, Tana squeaked from in the sky. "Innes! They've been routed! I can only see Syrene's regiments left! They've got civilians with them. Enemy forces are approaching!"

I sighed slightly. What good was having a foreguard or scouts if the pegasus knights in the main army were just as good?

"Calm down, little sister!" Innes ordered. "We'll have to join with Syrene as soon as possible." No kidding.

But before I could even open my mouth to get us moving, a hole appeared in the air in front of us, filled with darkness, and Lyon stepped out.

"Lyon!" Eirika cried, riding forward a pace. Her voice was eager, anxious. "Where have you been all this time? Are you well?"

"Wait, Eirika," I said, scowling. Things had been said, terrible things. "Lyon, we met recently in Grado, remember? Do you remember what you told me then?" Both Eirika and Lyon flinched. Those two really had been two of a kind. But Lyon was just acting, surely. It wasn't him in there. It was the Demon King.

But his eyes looked so mournful. "Ephraim… why are you angry?"

I stared at him.

His voice was soft, hurt. That was the sensitive kid I'd always known. "I've so wanted to see you both… It's been so long since I have… I saw Eirika in Jehanna, but I don't remember meeting you…"

I paused. If this wasn't an act… and it was pretty convincing if it was one… then Lyon was still in there, prisoner of the Demon King, and not yet dead. Dare I have hope?

"Ephraim!" Eirika rounded on me furiously.

"Eirika," I cut her off, apologizing frantically. "I'm sorry. I thought- I thought- remember, we thought something was controlling Lyon when he told me he killed…"

She wasn't listening. As usual. "Ephraim, there must be something wrong with _you_! Lyon is one of our dearest friends! Right, Lyon?"

"Yes, Eirika… Please…" Eirika dismounted as he reached out his hand to her. "Thank you." Thank you? What was going on?

Even as I thought that, Lyon's face contorted in pain and his body followed suit.

"Lyon?" Eirika asked, clearly about to abandon everything to comfort her friend.

I leapt off Lila and interjected myself between them. "Eirika, wait!" I still didn't trust him, not even when he was in pain. Why was he in pain? What was going on?

"…Eirika…" Lyon grunted. "Run… get away… quickly… If you don't… I… will surely… destroy you…" He tugged his own long lavender hair, and stretched one hand out, warding Eirika away. Good idea.

"Lyon!" Eirika never gave two figs for her safety. "I need to help you!"

"Princess Eirika!" Seth cried, perhaps a trace of his true feelings hidden in that cry. I was closer, though. I grabbed my sister around the waist, and just in time – she had been about to dash forward. What she thought she could do, I didn't know. Not that Lyon was very strong physically; she could break any hold he put on her. And he outclassed us all in magic; we'd just have to trust that he didn't blast us all where we stood. It would be difficult to dodge in this state, though…

"GO!" Lyon shouted, and then an inhuman shriek tore from his lips. It shuddered and writhed in the air, and even I flinched at the despair and pain and hatred in it.

And then he stood up straight-ish again, as if nothing had happened. "Hi, Ephraim, Eirika. Long time no see." I knew it.

Eirika gasped.

All my suspicions had been confirmed. Whoever Lyon had been, he was not there now. The Demon King was the one who had plotted the downfall of Renais; murdered my father; spoke to me in Grado Keep. Lyon was the one who befriended us in our early teens; helped me with my homework; spoke to Eirika in Jehanna.

Stupid schizophrenia.

"Who are you?" I growled, even now not wanting to believe it. "Because you're not Lyon."

"Heh, I'm not Lyon? That's rich."

"Lyon would never betray us!" And Eirika spoke with me as one. "Not in a million years."

It grimaced. "Fine. I've had my fun pretending to be human, but now I can be normal." It grinned, and my stomach revolted. It was so wrong, seeing my old friend's face… evil. His… its eyes were black instead of violet, an unnatural black that sucked the humanity from his face.

"Who are you?" I shouted.

"Do you truly not know? What a poorly educated prince." I gritted my teeth. Was that an aspersion on how Lyon helped me with my homework? Bastard. "Think on the name of terror…"

"No!" Agreeing murmurs rose in the army behind me; I'd almost forgotten they were there.

"I guessed," Eirika whispered. "The Demon King…"

"Full points, Princess," it said, and grinned. I got the feeling it would be making patronizing or lecherous moves on her soon. "Oh, Lyon, Lyon… prince of misery… come out. Be not shy. I will make all of your darkest dreams come true. This body is mine to do what I please with… it is lost to you. I will kill Prince Ephraim and take Princess Eirika for my own." Oh, no, he wouldn't. Not if I had anything to say about it. "Is this not what you desire?"

I blinked and in that space of time, Lyon was back. "No! No!"

And I blinked again, and it was the Demon King. "Yes… you want this… I will accomplish it…" He vanished, leaving a few wisps of black glow that rapidly evaporated.

I let go of Eirika and seized my new lance. "Come on!" I shouted, and brandished it towards the north, where Syrene had been. "We have to find the Demon King and destroy him! Free Lyon!" For there was no doubt in my mind now that Lyon and the Demon King were in the same body, but separate as could be.

I glanced at Eirika for a moment, in concern. The things he had said to me, I could take – lots of people wanted to kill me – but she was more fragile…

Or not. She was beautiful, and men desired that beauty. I wasn't surprised that Lyon loved her, even if it made me feel rather protective of her, not like how I felt about Seth loving her. Seth was a knight and a soldier and her equal in every way. I knew that if Lyon loved her, he loved her in a gentle, poetic way, the way he did everything. But to the Demon King, the purity of love couldn't exist, so he twisted the sense into the blackest, most base feeling known to humanity.  
But Eirika was stronger emotionally as well as physically than I really gave her credit for, I mused as I glanced at her, charging impetuously into battle at the head of the army, on her white steed, with Seth close at her side. She knew as well as I did that Lyon didn't lust after her the way the Demon King claimed.

No, if it was trying to make us hate our friend, it was failing miserably at that.

My brain wanted to go off on a grumbling digression on how typical it was for the Demon King to want to kill the man and rape the woman, but I soon got distracted. It had been a long time since I fought horseback with a lance. None of the chargers in our army had really appealed to me when I was separated from Lila, but now he was with me again, I had to remember how to do this…

There were the civilians Syrene was protecting. I grabbed one, a little girl, and directed soldiers to take out the nearby enemy druids giving Syrene's knights a hard time. Eirika had picked up a little boy and was heading for the van to place him in safety. I followed her. I wouldn't be gone long. Innes and Seth could deal with it for a few moments…

I wasn't wrong in that, and as I looked around, I had to say I was pretty satisfied with the field. Our soldiers were clearly harder, stronger, faster than the weary Grado troops. I gave orders to prevent it from turning into a massacre. That would have been ungentlemanly.

Eirika fought with a strange single-minded fierceness that almost gave me pause, but then I remembered – she was worrying about Lyon. That was all that mattered to her. Show vulnerability to a girl and she'd be all over you…

There was a castle to the east. I wondered if Lyo- the Demon King would be there, and issued orders accordingly.

There he was, standing beneath the castle gate. The castle itself looked to be abandoned. Lyon and the Demon King had no tactical sense between them.

"Stay here," I ordered the army. "I'll go talk to him. Maybe fight him."

"No!" Eirika cried. "You're not going alone, Brother! He's my friend, too!"

"And I must come," Seth said. I heard more agreement from the army.

I sighed. "No. If you all come, he'll rip you apart. Lyon never demonstrated any destructive magic in front of us, but this is the Demon King here now, and he probably knows lots of destructive magic. So stay. Back. No arguments! Not even from you, Eirika!"

"But…"

"No buts!" I cantered off before anyone could change their mind. Behind me I heard a feminine growl, and looked back to see Eirika with me. I glared at her. Seth had made a single step forwards, his duty to protect us warring with his duty to obey my commands.

"You're so stupid," I told Eirika, and she glared back at me.

"I'm not letting you fight him alone. Or even talk to him alone! I can try to bring him back, Ephraim! He loves me. He'll try for my sake."

I grumbled under my breath. "Fine. But if it comes to a fight… take care of yourself. And do try to stay alive. I want to see you pop out some little red-headed babies later in life."

She flushed crimson, and for a moment I thought she was going to hit me. Oh, crap, wait, I suddenly hoped she wasn't thinking of leaving Seth for Lyon. No, she wouldn't do that to anyone. This was going to be the most awkward love triangle I'd ever witnessed, and I'd unwillingly witnessed some awkward things in peacetime.

There he was. I wondered if he'd heard any of that.

"Lyon!" Eirika called. "Please, come back to us! I don't want to fight you!"

Seeing that creature there, wearing the face of our friend as a mask, kindled my own anger. "What have you done with our friend? Answer me!"

It frowned. "Pitiful girl, wretched man, do you not realize? Lyon is dead. I ate his soul. Oh, it was tasty. I'm still saving the last bite." It laughed, and Eirika shuddered, her face white.

"Oh, Eirika," I said, trying to give her what support I could. But my rage got the better of me. "You filth!" I snapped at the Demon King. "Stealing our friend! I know you are using his body, but I'll kill you anyway! Come on, Eirika. If Lyon's not there, then…"

"No, I won't kill him," she said, her voice hoarse with unshed tears.

"Lyon, is this truly the girl you loved?" Its voice was taunting, and I didn't know if it was possible to be more angry. "I shall tear her to pieces with my magic!"

That set her off. She charged forward, and I was a close second, and even as black ice began to assault us, her sword sliced cleanly through his shoulder. I got him in the gut, but even as Sigmund began to pierce him, he warped away.

There was a shriek from further back, at the edge of the army. We turned and galloped back.

There was the young blonde recruit, a child whose name I'd forgotten… Amelia. She had been thrown from her horse, which spooked because there was the Demon King, clawing his way from under a bush, blood soaking his robes at both stomach and shoulder. Amelia's companion, Forde's young brother Franz, was at her side, sword drawn. He was a brave kid, even though he couldn't hope to match the Demon King.

The Demon King growled, cursed incoherently, and vanished.

"We'll find you!" I shouted at the place he had been. "We won't let you get away!" I turned to the army, waiting with bated breath. "Everyone, find a partner and search everywhere! I cannot allow him to desecrate my friend's body any longer!"


	14. Chapter 14: Two Faces of Evil

Chapter 14: Two Faces of Evil

.

Within hours, the scouts had picked up a trail leading north. There was little or no blood, but it was Lyon, for sure. Don't ask how I knew. I was relieved there was no blood. There was still a chance to save him without killing him.

The main highway to Rausten was further to the east, but the trail led straight north, into the vastness of Darkling Woods. Everyone was on their guard, except perhaps Myrrh.

She flapped up to me at breakfast early the next day.

"Hello Myrrh," I said, having seen her coming for once. "Is it good to be home?"

She nodded briefly. "I didn't live here, exactly. But yes, it is home." She looked around at the black trees. "It is a sad home…"

"Really?" It was certainly gloomy, but if she lived there…

She gave me a small smile. "I know it is a sad place to you humans, but it is also sad for me. …I'm not a very good guardian…"

"Oh, come on," I said. "You've been protecting me ever since Renais. You're better than Seth, and you know how Seth gets. Or maybe you don't."

She shook her head and fiddled with the hem of her cloak in an abstracted, childlike way. "No…"

"Well, when he's worried about someone…"

"No, that's not what I meant. But I can see his attachment to Princess Eirika as well as anyone…"

I stared at her. Where was the child? Today she was all dragon. "What did you mean, then?"

Abruptly, she dropped her hands and smiled charmingly at me. "I'd rather not talk about it." And she skipped away, brushing the trees with her fingertips as she passed them.

Great, first Lyon was going crazy, now Myrrh was.

I watched her waltz up to Saleh, her guardian, and give him a big hug. I couldn't help but smile.

She was back again, a day later, as we approached the volcano at the heart of the forest – Mount Neleras. The heat was terrible, quite different from Jehanna; stifling and pervasive. I wondered if stripping down to my pants would help at all, and I knew that it would not, and leave me completely defenceless, to boot.

.

The sun was beginning to set, disappearing behind the volcano, leaving glowing pools of lava to glimmer in the landscape around us. I wondered how cool it would be to be here in the dark, then figured that we'd find out later that night. Lyon's footsteps were still plain in front of us. Either he was leading us into a trap, or he had no idea that he really ought to hide his footsteps. Probably both. And he was walking… how far did his teleportation spell go? Not that far, apparently.

I heard a little 'hup', and then there was a flurry of wings, and a small dragon-girl was sitting behind me on Lila. My horse started, but a calm hand on the reins quieted him. "Easy, boy. It's just Myrrh."

"He doesn't seem to mind me," Myrrh said. "Sometimes animals are afraid of me."

"Well, he's with me. And he's trained to endure scary situations. But no, he doesn't seem to mind at all. How are you, Myrrh?"

"I am well," she answered.

"This place… have you been here before?"

"No, not really. This is a dangerous place. I would be worried for your friend, if he were only your friend."

I grimaced. That was certainly the nicest way she could put it. "I'm sure he'll take care of him."

"It's always been dangerous," Myrrh said, as if talking to herself.

"Yes?" I said conversationally.

She seemed to shake herself. "Ephraim, I'll protect you if anything happens."

"Oh, thanks," I said. "Please note, however, that now I'm expecting something to happen, so I don't feel much better."

"You weren't expecting anything before?"

"No, I was." I smiled. "I've been expecting us to get ambushed since yesterday. But if you expect something, I'm going to take it even more seriously."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." I twisted my head and smiled at her so she could see it. "I'm glad you're here. It would be pretty tense if you weren't."

"Ah… Thank you. Um… I'm going to have a look around."

"Okay. Don't go too far."

"I'll stay with Saleh," she chirped, and fluttered off.

As soon as she left, I was flanked by Innes and Seth. "Prince Ephraim."

"Yes, Seth?"

"I couldn't help but overhear what you said about ambushes…"

"You have your ear twigged for the tactical words, of course," I interrupted him with a grin.

He blinked, then went on. "I was wondering if you'd share your thoughts on that."

"If he has any," Innes grumbled on the other side.

I snorted back at him. "Well," I said to Seth. "There isn't much planning we can do here, is there? The terrain's pretty hideous for fighting in, particularly for mounted units. Flying units are going to be in their element here, as long as the volcano doesn't erupt or anything…"

"In which case, we're all fried, not just the flyers," Innes put in.

"I think the system we've worked out for healer placement is going to be fine. We just have to be careful of Ly- of the Demon King in this kind of unpredictable landscape."

"You think he can be saved," Seth said softly.

"Don't get your hopes up," Innes said. "I never knew him, and I'm one hundred percent suspicious of anyone possessed by the Demon King. But if he's your friend, I guess he has a chance."

"I know," I said soberly. "I'm not expecting miracles. I know Lyon is probably beyond help. He'll go on and on about how weak he is, but… he's not. The fact that he did such crazy things to bring his father back is proof of that. He's stronger than he thinks, and always has been. He's just wildly outclassed."

They had nothing to say to that, not even Innes.

"Well," Innes said finally. "I was speaking with Generals Syrene and Duessel. They're trying to predict what the situation will be like in Rausten."

"And? We've heard nothing from the Rausten Knights since… Hamill Canyon, so many days ago," Seth said.

"Lucky bastards, being isolated out here in the north," Innes muttered. "Well…"

He outlined a few different situations, and I soon forgot about Lyon, partly, in the mental exercise of strategy.

Sometime later, I noticed Eirika coming up on my left. "Hello, Brother," she said.

Her face was still pale, and her nose was red, as if she wanted to cry, but couldn't yet. Seth and Innes faded back, giving us a little privacy. "Eirika? Are you all right?"

"I'm just worried about Lyon." Of course she was. She looked around. "Do you smell something?"

I sniffed the air. Lila glanced back at me, and if horses ever rolled their eyes, mine just did. "You mean that sulphur smell?"

"Yeah…" she answered, distractedly. Suddenly, she pointed at a white-ish object about a meter tall. "Look! What's that?"

Myrrh popped up, breathing somewhat heavily. "Ephraim, look out for the gorgon eggs… I don't usually come here – it's dangerous. If you get too close, they hatch and attack you."

And after her were three scouts, creeping along – not near the deadly egg. "Sire, the enemy has retreated into this valley." The canyon we were in morphed ahead of us into a narrow slot.

Well, this looked like a worst-case scenario. "It's a trap!" I hissed. "Everybody, watch out for those eggs!"

Orders happened. There was a flurry and noise around us. If the enemy were mostly monsters, light magic would be invaluable, so I directed pretty much everyone in white to near the front. The pegasus and wyvern knights didn't wait for anyone, but charged ahead through the air. I checked to make sure Eirika had the Sacred Stone – I wasn't going to carry it into battle, that was for sure.

Everything settled to my satisfaction, I lightly spurred Lila and we galloped towards the rift. An arrow shot past me and penetrated the white egg; there was a muffled squeal and then it was still. But someone shot a fireball at it just to be sure.

I was worried I wouldn't fit into the rift on horseback, but it turned out to be wider than I thought it was, and it grew wider and narrower randomly, forming little passages and chambers. It branched, too. This was going to be interesting.

There were two bishops behind me, and they created a flak of white magic that brought down several eyeballs peeking over the rocks at us. I grinned at them and twirled my lance before dashing off into one of the passages.

There were eggs, and eyeballs and… holy mother of Latona, what was that?

It was twice as tall as I was, all purple scales and yellow underbelly, with large clawed hands and… breasts. I didn't wait to see more, but Lila made a sound as close as a horse makes to screaming. He obeyed my command to charge, though his head was lower than usual.

There was a strange black magic forming around me. The distance was closing too slowly, and around me I could hear eggs hatching. Maybe I should have waited for backup?

My lance plunged deep into the monster, and green-yellow goop sprayed out at me, hissing as it met the hot head of the lance. The monster shrieked and died, crashing to the ground. It crushed one of its own eggs, and with a blaze of white, I could tell the bishops were taking care of the rest.

"Be careful of those things, my Lord," said one of them, with curly red hair. He was one of Eirika's group, but I had no idea what his name was anymore. "I have read that they can turn people to stone."

"Can the people be turned back from stone?"

"I don't know," he said, frowning. "My Lord."

"Fair enough," I said. "Pass it along."

"Yes, sire!"

They left me, but were rapidly replaced by Knoll and Duessel. Knoll was stroking his new healing staff. I think he was appreciating it a lot.

"So, gentlemen, we're in a bit of a pickle here," I began.

"I disagree," Duessel said. "There are a lot of monsters, it's true." He paused, as rings of black magic began to form around him, and threw his javelin at an eyeball trying to remain out of sight. The javelin knocked it out of the air, although it did not strike true, and Duessel grunted as he was hit by the spell. I offered him a vulnerary, as the eyeball sank into a black pit created by Knoll.

"As I was saying," Duessel continued, as if nothing had happened, "there are a lot of monsters around here. But I don't think they're capable of dealing with an entire army. We're seeing a panicked last defense here, relying as much on terrain and surprise and this blasted heat as much as it does on actually attacking us."

"I agree," I said. "But even if they can't kill us directly, it's going to be easy to isolate us and pick us off one by one. We don't want the more fragile members of the army to get caught out."

"We're already fighting in pairs," Knoll said. "And the monks…"

"The fighting's going to get thicker, Knoll," I said. "I just know it. This may be a clumsy last-ditch ambush, but it's in a very good place to succeed. It won't, of course. Let me think for a bit."

After a moment, I looked back. I could hear fighting coming from all directions. "I need someone to co-ordinate in the air." I looked up. "Tana!"

A flurry of white wings touched down on a cliff to my left. "Yes, Ephraim?"

"I need you to coordinate things for me. How's the battlefield from the air?"

"You want to come up and look?"

"No, that's fine. Just let me know where the monsters are, where our forces are."

"Ah, okay." She explained, and briefly I was impressed by how much she had learned since she chased after Eirika weeks ago.

"We should get back to the middle," I said. "Tana, tell L'Arachel and Rennac to wait where they are until Gilliam and Kyle can reach them. Forde and Franz are to escort Tethys to the closest healer. Tell Marisa she should NOT be fighting alone… in fact, why don't you go keep her company until she can retreat back to a group. I don't care what monsters are in front of her; in fact, the more there are, the more she needs to get out of there."

"Yes, sir!" Tana saluted cheerfully, and soared off.

"Well done," Duessel said.

I shook my head. "I wish I could see better. These canyons are going to get someone kille- Yah!"

Another of those nasty Gorgon creatures had popped out from behind a rock, and another one behind it. Deussel and I charged forward, but I was in front of him. I got them both, he dispatched them after me, and then Tana returned.

"There's a concentration of eyeballs to the north," Tana reported. "They're trying to overwhelm Artur and Colm and Neimi and Natasha."

"Duessel, Knoll, we're going to assist," I barked, and pointed. "Well, as soon as I've heard the rest…?"

"No, that was about it," Tana said. "Go on, Ephraim! You can save them!"

"Thanks," I muttered, and turned to follow the other two as she flew away, but even as I did so, there was a crash, and a huge rock tumbled down in my path.

I looked up. There were a number of gargoyles, looking rather pleased with themselves.

"Prince Ephraim!" I heard Deussel's voice from the other side of the boulder.

"Go on, help those people," I said. "I'll find another way around."

"Prince Ephraim…"

"I can take care of myself, Deussel. Go!"

The gargoyles had just been waiting for Deussel and Knoll to leave, and they began to swoop down on me. That was fine. I had just been waiting for them to swoop on me so I could tear them to pieces.

There were rather a lot of them, though. Oh, there was an egg, and they were attempting to drive me towards it. If I turned to attack the egg, they would stab me in the back…

A gout of flame splashed over them, and they disappeared with a shriek.

Myrrh landed near me, a large sleek bronze form, which shrank swiftly into a small winged child. "Greetings, Ephraim," she said.

"Hello, Myrrh. Thanks for the assist. How are you holding up?" I stabbed the egg.

"It is difficult to keep track of you in this battle," she said. "But- oh, no!"

I looked up to see a pegasus – Syrene's – get enveloped in a black spell in midair. After a moment or two, she came out again, upside down… wait, was that Innes? What was he doing there?

Syrene's lance and Innes' bow made glittering arcs through the air, and the pegasus wasn't righting itself. Syrene and Innes, locked together, fell headfirst towards the rocky ground…

"Myrrh!" I shouted, but she was already moving. A flash of light, a rattle of stones as she leapt into the air, and she tried to catch them, first with her back, then with a claw. She missed.

I felt something sneaking up on me and whirled; it was another gargoyle. I batted its lance away and stabbed it through the chest. "I need a partner out here," I muttered. "I'm too far from the action."

Myrrh returned. "They are safe. I think Innes' legs are broken, but L'Arachel is on her way."

"That's good," I said. "Let's head back towards the centre. I'm too far out on the edge. I was cut off…"

"Shall I carry you?" she asked, poised to transform.

"No. I don't think Lila would like flying. Let's go!" I touched his sides, and we sprang forward down the narrow canyon.

With Myrrh guiding me, I made it back to where I wanted to be. Surrounded by allies was much better. I could see more, hear more, give commands easier. From then on, it was a mopping-up action. I found Eirika. She was safe, with Seth close at her side. From the anxious glances she kept giving him, it was plain that he'd been in some sort of trouble. He looked fine now, though.

Myrrh turned to me. "That's it, Ephraim."

"What's it?" I asked, peering down at her child form.

"The monsters are all gone."

"Really? That's great. Tana!"

"Yes?"

"Have the army meet here. The terrain is still dangerous, even with the enemy defeated."

"You got it!"

I leaned forward to pat Lila's neck. "Good job, boy! You weren't exactly trained for volcanoes, were you?"

Eirika stiffened. "Lyon?" She dismounted and fled into a narrow passage, too narrow for her horse.

"Eirika!" I shouted. "It's not safe!"

"Lyon's back there! I have to help him!" I heard her call. I sighed angrily. Why was it, when it came to people she cared for, she lost all common sense? Or sense at all?

I dismounted, and fidgeted until people in our army began to arrive. There was Innes, looking relatively in one piece, and Syrene behind him. There was Seth. I handed Seth the reins and took off after Eirika.

She was difficult to find. The passages branched and twisted so much… I could hear her voice, and Lyon's voice. But I couldn't find them.

I arrived just in time to hear the second-worst words in the history of the world. "Ha, yes, this is the second to last Stone… Silly girl, have you still not figured out that Lyon is dead? He's gone! Eaten! Destroyed! Well… I left a fragment of his consciousness alive, to do my bidding… And… for this favour, I am in your debt! And, as such, I will refrain from attacking you at this time…"

There was Eirika, fallen to her knees, and there was the Demon King in Lyon's body, standing in the middle of a pool of lava, with shattered pieces of crystal spilling from his hand. He disappeared, leaving only useless glass shards melting into nothingness.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Eirika." What else could I say? She knew how foolish she had just been, how she might have just doomed us all. But she did truly care for Lyon, so much she would sacrifice the world for him.

Her heart must be broken.

She began to sob and I pulled her up and held her tightly. "I'm sorry, Eirika."


	15. Chapter 15: Last Hope

Chapter 15: Last Hope

.

It took some time to get the army reorganized; I wondered if the best thing to do would be to hide the fact that we lost the Sacred Stone. Eirika didn't need more trouble.

I needn't have worried. The news had spread by the time we had begun to move again, but it seemed that everyone in the army loved her so much that they would give her some space. Even if they weren't happy with her.

I supposed that when we got back to Renais – if we ever got back – she should be the public-relations monarch, and I would be the one who did all the other work. That sounded good to me.

First, we had to get back. And our only chance lay ahead, in Rausten. Myrrh told me that the darkness was moving west, but we couldn't follow it without a Sacred Stone.

We couldn't stay at Mount Neleras either. Certainly not in the dark. I had torches and torch staves lit, and we travelled northeast, back to Rausten proper.

It took us two more days of travel before we reached the palace, and the land was eerily quiet. Rausten was, I had heard, a contemplative land, a uniformly serene place as inspired by their founder, Saint Latona. But it was not the silence of peace that surrounded us. The land had not yet been despoiled like so many other lands of Magvel, but it was uneasy. War was finally coming to their doorstep.

L'Arachel sent messengers before us to announce our arrival, and the second day we received an escort of knights. They looked so strange compared to our army, or rather we looked strange to them. They were uniform and shining, and we were ragged, dirty, and dented. Except perhaps L'Arachel herself, who seemed as chipper as ever. She spent a lot of time with Eirika and Tana. That was good; Eirika needed support, and the two bubbliest girls I'd ever met would be able to provide it to her.

Pontifex Mansel, L'Arachel's uncle, met us at the gates of Rausten Court, the castle that was halfway between a fortification and a palace. I barely heard his words of welcome, but fortunately L'Arachel took over, shooing us inside, finding us guides to take us to our rooms, and then helping us to dinner. She was a very practical princess, I decided. Maybe I should have given her the Sacred Stone instead.

Eirika was still emotionally exhausted, and when L'Arachel suggested we go to bed early, a look of relief crossed her face. I walked her quietly to her room, where she gave me a hug and disappeared inside, while I returned to the throne room.

Seth was there.

"She's gone to bed," I told him. "I think she'll be fine after a good night's sleep."

He nodded solemnly. "It's been a very difficult journey for her. For all of us."

"But especially for her, because: Lyon."

"What about you, sire?"

I paused. "Yes. I wasn't really as close as they were… I think they were in love, without realizing it… but I don't like the idea of Lyon being gone." I sighed. "He was a good guy. He would have been a great emperor of Grado, just as he was. He would have had Duessel and Glen and Selena and Knoll and Father MacGregor to help him. He wouldn't have been alone."

I looked up and saw something in Seth's eyes. "Oh, don't worry. Eirika's not going to leave you for him. Once she gives her loyalty, it's given."

"But…"

"Your ring is on her finger, and I don't think she's going to forget that."

He seemed to deflate. "Right. I see your point. My lord."

"She's just going to do crazy things to try to get Lyon back," I muttered. "I can't imagine what kind of position she's in…"

"I'd leave if it would make it easier for her…" he began. I opened my mouth to deny it, and he raised a hand. "I realize that is not what she needs right now. It would not make it easier for her."

"What I don't get is why you want to be secretive about your engagement. It would give the army a morale boost, you know."

"Yes, but…" He fidgeted, in a very un-Seth-like way. "Sire, I'm a knight born of low circumstance…"

"You're the freakin' Silver Knight, General of Renais. And you have my blessing. And it's not like no one's guessed, either."

He froze, and I looked up at his anxious face. I was tall, but he was taller. Dang.

"Easy, Seth. I'm not trying to pressure you. I just don't understand."

"It's not the right time," he murmured, looking away.

"All right. But…" I forced a smile. "I bet when we beat the Demon King, you're going to kiss her right then and there. Just like in the fairy-tales."

He coughed awkwardly. "We shall see, my lord."

And then L'Arachel walked up to us and demanded gracefully to know how Eirika was doing.

.

After a few hours of talk, Eirika herself wandered in and over to us.

"Hello, Sister," I said to her. "Did you sleep?" She nodded. She seemed more in command of herself than before. It was good. "We were just talking about what to do next…"

A clatter at the door announced a troop of soldiers in a hurry. "Pontifex!" one of them cried. "There is an enemy at the gates! The outermost guards have been slaughtered!"

"What?" demanded the Pontifex. "How could that be?"

"We need reinforcements, milord!"

I snapped into action. "We'll take care of it. I bet it's the De- Lyon's army remnants following us." I'd wondered where they were. "Seth, go wake up some more troops."

"Yes, sir." Seth saluted and ran. I could see in his step he, too, was glad to be doing.

"And don't forget the horses!" I called after him, not that he would forget. I turned to the corner in which I'd leaned my lance, seized it, and trotted out into the middle of the room towards the frightened soldiers. Oh, they'd lose their fear under my command! "Okay, people, let's go get them. Got your rapier, Eirika? Good."

We headed to the walls, where I could hear spells and bows going off like crazy. I took stock of the situation as quickly as I could, then gave orders. Rausten Court was not designed to repel an attack; fortunately, it looked like an attack and not a siege. There were no siege weapons; no catapults, towers, or rams. So far as I could tell, it was just monsters.

But Rausten's untried military had never fought monsters before, and while their light-magic users were holding, their mages and foot soldiers were panicking.

Seth found us, as I trusted he would, and I mounted Lila, giving me the mobility along the wall.

"I sent the younger knights to gather the troops," he reported. "They should be here momentarily."

"Excellent." I saw Innes and the top Frelians pelting out to join us. "Innes! I need your bow over here. There are a lot of revenants trying to climb the wall."

He grimaced, but went where I directed.

The gate was shuddering under the claws of the monsters, and it seemed that someone had left it open until the very last moment, as there were some monster and soldier bodies under the arch. The Raustenians had no concept of security.

"Seth, when those younger soldiers get back, take them and make a round of the walls. So far the attack seems to be only from here, but I can't assume that. Make sure no one breaks in through the back!"

He saluted smartly and departed, joined by Franz, Amelia, and Saleh. I think Myrrh was asleep, and a good thing too. Children needed their rest, no matter what species.

"Is Lyon out there?" I asked in a brief lull, peering out over the walls.

"Not that I can see," said a voice beside me, and I looked down, startled, to see Rennac standing there. "Some revenant bishop, though."

"Don't sneak up on me like that," I told him. He shrugged. "Anyway, thank you. That is helpful to know. Anything else I should know?"

"Not really. There's hordes of zombies. The bishop looks like he's directing them."

"Right. Syrene!"

Pegasus knights were so handy to have around. "Yes, my lord?"

"Take all the flyers – Tana, your sister, Cormag, your knights. There's a revenant out there in bishop's robes, directing the attack. I want him dealt with."

"As you command, Prince Ephraim."

"Mages, archers, concentrate fire on those skeleton archers! Give the flyers some support!"

If we could kill the bishop, the enemy might retreat.

Although, now that I looked into the seething darkness, I had my doubts. Snarls and screams rose to our ears, the monsters seemingly undeterred by our defense.

The gate creaked, and cracked, and crashed under the sheer weight of all the zombies pressing on it. Hopefully that got rid of a few of them, crushed under their own weight, but there were hundreds more waiting. "Come on!" I shouted to the other close combat fighters, and charged down the stairs to the gate, smashing into them from the side.

There were so many of them, it was like swimming in green clawed limbs. Lila's momentum faltered. I had to get him out of there before they ripped him to pieces. Deussel was beside me, but he and his horse were far more heavily armoured, and they bounced off him.

A light shone around me, and the creatures shied away.

There was L'Arachel, looking rather pleased with herself. "Hurry up, get back here!" she said. "I'll heal you, and then you can do that again."

"Thank you," I said, and returned to her, where she did just that. "But I think a more prudent response would be… You! What's your name again?"

"Lute, the prodigy. Your highness."

"Lute, we need a lot of fire here."

"I was just about to do that when your highness interrupted me."

I pressed my lips together. What she said was true. I made a note to myself: not to charge crowds of zombies anymore.

"Stand clear!" Lute cried, and lifting her arms with a gleeful grin, she cast Elfire in the entranceway.

I don't know if she really was a prodigy, but that was rather impressive. I wished momentarily that I had any kind of magic talent.

But no. That was not my strong point. As she let the spell die, leaving only piles of soot, I dismounted and walked forward. The ground wasn't even warm. The walls were, but the floor was not. I wondered if that was the way Elfire worked…

Framed in the gateway, I looked down at the monsters that now hesitated to attack me. They knew it was suicide, after that.

But only for a few seconds, and then they charged at me with an inhuman howl. I twirled my lance, set my teeth, and waited for them.

There were people beside me: Deussel, Gerik, Marisa, even Eirika. But for the moment, I let my mind free of tactics, and just fought. This was something I could fight against. Even if the world burned, where I stood, the monsters would never conquer.

Suddenly, a wail rose from the enemy, and they looked back. I saw flashing white wings in the moonlight, and guessed that the flyers had succeeded in their mission.

The enemy faded away into the night rapidly after that, leaving us breathing hard, but not terribly injured. Some of the Rausten knights had not fared so well, but L'Arachel went personally to each one, accompanied but Father Moulder and Natasha. Only a few were beyond hope.

I looked at Eirika. "I wonder what the Demon King is thinking, throwing these useless attacks at us."

"He's probably saving his full strength for whatever hideaway he's scurrying to," Innes said darkly. "This is just to make us feel good about ourselves before he crushes us. Except that we have the Sacred Twin weapons, so we'll take some crushing. Right, Ephraim?"

"Naturally," I rejoined. "I think this little army has gotten so good at fighting monsters that the regular monsters aren't going to cut it anymore. I just hope he doesn't have anything more fearsome…"

"Oh, he will," said the Prince of Frelia grimly.

"How do you know so much about the Demon King?" I demanded curiously, motioning soldiers to guard positions and leading the way inside, back to report to the Pontifex.

He looked down at me as we walked. "Tana has told me enough. Now that I believe he exists, I am not about to underestimate him."

"You're just a pessimist, Innes," I told him.

"I'm a realist," he corrected.

"And a grump," I teased.

He grunted.

L'Arachel checked with her uncle to ensure the Sacred Stone was safe. I wondered if it was prudent to go now and perhaps tell the enemy where it was, but I, too, wanted to know if it was safe.

It certainly was, and with that taken care of, fatigue began to fill my limbs. It was bedtime for me. The guards were stationed, and they were competent. The Sacred Stone was safe. Eirika was yawning beside me. There was nothing more I needed to do tonight.

I went back to my room, pulled my boots and cloak off, and fell backwards onto the bed, just for a moment before I finished changing.


	16. Chapter 16: Darkling Woods

Chapter 16: Darkling Woods

.

I woke early the next morning, immediately aware that I had slept in my armour. I had never gotten around to taking it off. I felt creased and rumpled and heavy.

I craned my neck until I could see the window, and groaned. The sky was grey, but the sun was rising behind the clouds; time to get up.

I sat up, stiffly, and stretched. Ow. Falling asleep in armour was definitely a better thing to do outside, where it was less uncomfortable than the ground. Inside, in a featherbed, was really stupid.

I sniffed my shirt. I smelled terrible, and I was still covered in gunk from fighting. Whoever had the unfortunate job of changing the bed after I left… I felt sorry for them. I reached into my pouch and left a gold coin under the pillow. It assuaged my guilty feeling a little bit.

But there would be no time to change. We needed to be ready to leave in an hour, and that meant checking supplies, fixing armour damage, and breakfast. I hopped up, grabbed my lance, and headed for the door.

I checked on Eirika, first. She'd bothered to get changed, into a frilly lace nightgown probably lent her by L'Arachel. She rubbed her eyes blearily as I charged in. "Brother? What's the matter?"

"Nothing, just time to get up. Come on, sleepy head. Big day today! Killing the Demon King."

"Mmph." She rolled over. "But I haven't slept in a real bed in…"

"Come on, princess. Kingdoms to save! Boyfriend waiting for you!"

"He's my fiancé, and I'm tired."

I put my hands on my hips. "Eirika."

"I'm coming," she muttered. "I'm just afraid."

"And comfortable," I teased. "Sleeping in won't make the Demon King go away. It's not like our history finals with Father MacGregor."

"I said I'm coming," she said, and waved me out.

I sauntered down to the dining hall, running into Seth himself on the way. "Eirika's getting up. Slowly."

"It must be nice for her to finally have accommodations befitting her," he said absentmindedly, checking his pockets to make sure he had everything.

"She's lazy."

"She is not."

"You're infatuated."

"I am."

I punched him in the shoulder. "You're going to be the best brother-in-arms ever. I mean, brother-in-law. Not much difference, is there?"

"You're cheerful today, my lord."

"I'm nervous. I shouldn't be, but I am. I smell eggs."

I entered the hall to see Myrrh tucking in to a giant plate of bacon and eggs, Saleh sitting silently beside her nursing a cup of tea. "Hello, Myrrh."

"Ephraim." She blinked solemnly at me.

"Not much to say today, huh?"

She shook her head and turned her attention back to her plate. I wondered if she was nervous about the coming day.

"I guess that settles that, then," I said to no one and began to fill my own plate.

We set off a little over an hour later, with the blessing of Pontifex Mansel and the Sacred Twins of Rausten. L'Arachel gave to me the Sacred Stone of Rausten, and I packed it away where it wouldn't get crushed accidentally.

I looked to Myrrh, and she looked back with her huge, serious crimson eyes. I nodded, and she pointed west.

"Let's go!" I called to the army, and we headed off, west into the unknown.

"So, where exactly are we going?" I asked Myrrh at lunch break, several hours later.

She put her head on one side. "We're going to the ancient temple where the Demon King was first defeated. I'm not sure exactly where he is in relation to it, but it's in the same direction."

"I wonder if he's going for poetic irony," I said. "To attempt to triumph where he was last defeated." I grinned tightly. "He's going to be in for a surprise."

"I hope so," Myrrh said.

"Do not lose hope, Great Dragon," Saleh said softly from nearby. "Have faith in Valega…"

I had no idea what he was talking about, but Myrrh turned to Saleh with a smile. "I have faith. But I worry too."

"That's all right," I said. "You leave the worrying to me. I'm in command here."

She smiled again, and I wondered how it looked, a young human, probably no more than an infant by her terms, telling her that he had things under control. I wondered if it was true.

Lyon we could handle, it seemed, even with the Demon King behind him. But the forces in Darkling Woods were likely to be his last powerful reserves, and he himself… I didn't want to find out what he was planning.

We marched for the rest of the day, reaching the edge of the forest shortly after sunset. It was dark under the trees; I posted watches of three-man groups, and patrols of five-man groups. The campfires were not built large.

I slept lightly, and poorly. When I woke in the morning, I was drenched in sweat, though I could not remember what I'd been dreaming about.

We marched again, and the ground began to turn soft. It was different either than the black forest we had been through a few days before, or the area around Mount Neleras. Darkling Woods was much larger than I'd realized.

Sometime around midday, the first scout saw a skeleton. Just one, by itself. It was quickly taken care of, but it wasn't the last. They were creeping up on us by ones and twos for the next couple hours, keeping us all jumpy.

After those hours, Myrrh turned to me. "We're almost there. He is there."

"Be ready for assault," I said, but even as I said that, we came out of the trees into a large swampy clearing, and the monsters attacked.

There was the temple Myrrh had spoken of, smaller than I'd expected, but still imposing. I guessed that most of it would be underground, though how they built it underground in a swamp, I could not guess. But my mind was more occupied by the fact that a giant zombie dragon guarded its entrance. It roared at us. This would be difficult.

Even more immediate was the fact that we were surrounded by vast numbers of skeletons, wading towards us with deadly concentration.

I gathered the troops into a ring away from most of the trees. We could use the trees as cover, but so could the skeletons. I urged Lila back and forth down my side of the ring, encouraging my soldiers, lending my lance here and there.

The skeletons hit our line, and my soldiers had to take a step or two back, but that was all. I ordered and led a cavalry charge, which cleared out a few, and advanced a few more steps towards the temple. We couldn't get too close to the dragon, but further away from the forest behind us would be good too.

An arrow whizzed past my head; the skeletons were getting bolder. Here came Glen's brother from behind to take them out; they never knew what landed on them.

Then Myrrh decided to take a hand. I heard a 'whoosh' from beside me, and suddenly there was a dragon in our midst, and the skeletons hesitated. Apparently they had enough intelligence to realize they needed cover, but their drive to fight prevented them from going far. Whatever the case, it was very good for us. Myrrh flamed a few dozen with her first breath alone.

I saw movement in the trees, and identified it as belonging to the three-headed Gwyllgi, skulking around. They seemed far more unwilling to approach Myrrh. I guess, being actual living creatures, they had more of a sense of self-preservation. I directed the archers to target them anyway.

As soon as Myrrh paused to take breath, they charged our lines.

"Brace yourselves!" I ordered, and not a moment too soon. Those with shields were lucky. The hellhounds leaped clean over the heads of the shorter army members.

"Lady Myrrh, stay back!" Saleh cried, and there was an explosion of light magic, searing the animals before they could chew on too many of my soldiers. Lila and I darted forward and speared one, but another sprang on us from behind. I twisted with my lance, and the haft hit the thing in one of its heads. That didn't shake it loose…

Eirika shot by me, and it fell from my horse, two of its skulls pierced by her sword. Lila took a step backwards and crushed the last skull before it could think of getting up again.

I looked around for a moment. Deussel was having similar problems, although Innes was assisting him. But his soldiers were retreating towards the centre in disarray. The pegasus knights turned to dive on the enemy, but the enemy was getting inside our lines, towards the more vulnerable army members.

I heard terrified screaming, and looked around to see the pink-haired archer girl frozen in place as a Gwyllgi charged her. Then suddenly Eirika was in front of her, screaming in anger and defiance, and as it leaped at her with its own snarl, she skilfully lopped off its heads.

I grinned. "Nice one."

Forde yelled for my attention, and I turned and charged the skeletons clawing at him as he ineffectually beat at them with his sword. "Forde, get it together!"

"Yes, Prince Ephraim…"

"After all this time, you can't get dragged down by some already-dead people. You're better than that."

"Yes, Prince Ephraim!"

Screams from the other side of the ring. Innes was down. Blast.

Oh, no, he was up again. That was good.

"Prince Ephraim!" Seth called. "The Gwyllgi have been neutralized." He ducked a spear thrown in his direction, and smacked a skeleton with the haft of his lance; the blow was heavy enough to shatter the skull.

"Thanks, Seth."

The ring was holding. We'd outlast the skeletons…

The cries of injured rang from the centre of the ring, and there were skeletons rising from the very swamp we stood on. There was the blonde cleric, Natasha, grappling desperately with a skeleton a foot taller than her, but another was moving up behind her. Her lover, Joshua, was running to her defense from his place in the front lines, but he wouldn't make it in time…

One of Neimi's arrows pierced one skeleton, and the young ax-man Ross got the other. In fact, the younger soldiers were doing quite well for themselves. I gave them a nod as they cleaned up the ambush.

"Joshua!" I barked. "Hold the line! Trust your comrades." He gave me a look that said he would do no such thing, not where Natasha was involved, but he returned to the front line, in time to assist Kyle with a particularly stubborn skeleton armed with a Zanbato.

Then, suddenly, our path was clear to the temple.

I pointed with my lance. "Advance!" And I was at the head of the charge.

Well, it wasn't a charge. We did not know what the zombie dragon could do. Even at this distance, I could smell it, which wasn't a good sign.

"What are we waiting for?" asked the child-mage, Ewan. "It's just a big stinky dragon…"

"It's… poison," Myrrh said. "Don't get to close, Ephraim."

"How do we fight… our magic users are still out of range!"

"Leave it to me," she said firmly, and touched her dragonstone.

I had always thought of Myrrh's dragon form as being huge, and as showing perhaps her true maturity, but she looked small compared to that rotting pile of bones. It shrieked at her, rattling its skull, pawing the ground.

Determinedly, she made her way closer, then suddenly made a jump forward, pulled her head back, and roared at it. Flames engulfed it, but I could see that it wasn't going to just fall over. It roared back, spitting purple miasma at her.  
I grabbed the end of my cloak, tore it off, and dumped my waterbottle on it. Then I tied it over my face. "Mages, archers, let's get a little closer and assist Myrrh. Yes, Saleh, you can go in closer. Have healing staves ready, and try not to breath the poison!"

I charged, Sigmund at the ready. I heard other hooves and saw Eirika beside me, her face also wrapped in her cloak.

"Eirika!"

"Shut up, I'm fighting too!"

I spared her a glare, and then we were in among its talons. Sigmund sparked as it chipped the massive bones. A white glowing arrow flicked by and knocked a rib loose, and I grinned approvingly. I saw other sparks from above, and saw Joshua had joined the party with Adhulma the Ice Blade. Did no one know how to follow orders? He was going to get killed…

Healing glows lit up around us, protecting us. As I came around, I saw not all the skeletons had been dealt with. Well, the other generals would have to deal with it. I was dealing with the dragon. Wait, was Innes, no, it was Syrene who was down. Crap.

The zombie dragon swatted at Joshua, who almost lost his footing, but jumped to the relative safety of the temple stone. Then it looked at me. I glared back defiantly, and then it hissed at me.

Lila was knocked off his feet by the sheer intensity of its poisoned breath. I tumbled head over heels for several feet. I don't think I broke anything… The Sacred Stone! Was it all right?

Myrrh roared in anger, and golden flames swept across the corpse. It withered, lurched, and fell onto its side, releasing one last wave of noxious air.

Lila was struggling to his feet, coughing desperately. Saleh was at his side, healing him, and then turned to me. My lungs hadn't been affected like Lila's, but I hadn't escaped unscathed, either. As I stood, I noticed blood pouring from my arm. There must have been something sharp underneath the surface of the swamp. It didn't even hurt.

Even as he tried to inspect my arm, I checked on the Sacred Stone. It was all right. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief, and as I brought it out, my arm healed. Saleh blinked.

Eirika came quickly to me. "Brother! Are you all right?"

"Everything seems to be all right… Uh-oh, what happened to Syrene?"

Innes was carrying Syrene, calling for a healer. Eirika turned with a flick of Aureola's tail and headed over.

I turned back to the temple and waded over to Myrrh. "Hello, Myrrh."

"Ephraim." She seemed tired.

"Thanks for saving us. That was really something."

She looked up at me. "Thank you. It was nothing."

I knelt down to her level. "Really?" I asked gently. "What's wrong?"

Her face was set like stone, a strange look on such a child-like face. "It's nothing, Ephraim."

"All right, I'll let you be," I said, standing and turning to find Seth and Deussel.

But I felt a tug on my sleeve, and turned back to her. Her self-control was crumbling. "I… I knew that dragon."

"Oh. Oh. I'm sorry." I hesitantly reached out, and she flung her arms around me, small body shuddering, but not weeping.

"Once, he was my father."

Well, blast. I held her tighter. "He's at rest now, Myrrh."

She drew a deep breath. "I know. He is free of the Demon King's tyranny."

"He is."

She drew back from me, her implacable calm returning.

"Myrrh. I'm part of your family now. Saleh, Eirika, me, we're all your family now."

One side of her mouth turned up almost imperceptibly. "I know. Thank you, Ephraim. I will go let Saleh know I am all right."

"All right."

I stood and watched her flit across the battlefield to Saleh's side. Concern was writ large across the face of the reclusive scholar.

"Prince Ephraim," I heard, and turned to see Seth and Deussel standing beside me, their horses waiting patiently behind them.

"Gentlemen! Just the people I wanted to see. What is the situation?"

Deussel cracked a broad smile. "While there are some with serious injuries, including General Syrene, most of the army is still in fighting condition and ready to press on whenever you feel ready, my Prince."

Seth had a slight smile of his own. "The enemy has been entirely neutralized out here, it seems. We should leave a guard for the injured when we descend into this… temple, but it appears that we have exhausted his skeleton army."

"Good work, gentlemen. Excuse me while I address the troops."

They saluted, and I turned to the temple. Should I climb partway up the outside? No, too much work. I would just… I called Lila, mounted, and positioned myself so I was framed in front of the entrance. I could see Eirika looking amused in my direction. She knew exactly what I was doing.

I took a deep breath. "Soldiers and warriors! Men and women of Magvel! We have come to the last stand. Within this temple, the Demon King has fled like a rat to his hole. We have him. Now Eirika and I will descend to deal with him. Who's with us?" About half the army whooped, the other half too exhausted to cheer. But I saw broad grins on most of the faces, and figured it was as good as I was going to get. "Only those willing to come may come. We may not return alive. But even if we do no, our sacrifice will ensure peace for the world of tomorrow." Instinctively, I checked the sky. It was still late afternoon. We'd head underground with the blessing of the sun, at least. "But know this: we cannot fail. Not while we still have this!" I raised the pouch with the Sacred Stone in it, and the army cheered. I didn't dare take the Stone out of the pouch. Who knew what assassin might sneak up at the last second and destroy our last hope? Better not to tempt fate.

"Those who are coming," I cried, "gather with Eirika. The rest of you, set up camp to take care of the wounded for transport. As soon as they are ready, you must begin your journey back to Rausten. There's no sense hanging around a swamp!"

I turned and peered into the darkness as the excited chatter of the army rose behind me.


	17. Chapter 17: Sacred Stone

Chapter 17: Sacred Stone

.

Wide stairs led down a hall, down, down, down, until we were well below the ground. Seth trotted up behind Eirika and me, carrying a torch.

Lyon was waiting for us at the bottom of the steps, at the front of a vast dark stone hall. We halted, and we looked at him as he looked silently at us.

"Eirika…" he said, finally. "Ephraim…"

"There's no need to say anything, Lyon," I said, and I found it was true. I had forgiven him everything. "We know everything, and we're sorry."

"You must kill me now," he said earnestly. "The Demon King will use my body to revive his own…" He paused, then continued quickly, strain rising in his voice. "You don't actually know everything. When the Demon King first reached out to me… there was… I must say it… jealousy and envy in my heart. I did not resist as I should have… I am to blame for my unforgivable weakness…"

"No, Lyon. You are not to blame," Eirika told him. I nodded. Everyone has depressive episodes once in a while. Most people don't end up unlocking the end of the world, but hey. It happens. "Everyone has weaknesses. I know I do. I'm certain my brother does." Well, thanks, Eirika. "We do, we do forgive you."

"Even now, you are so kind to me…" And his voice and face changed. Lyon was gone. "Are you done yet? Huh, making your life over into some sort of epic tragedy… Booooring!"

I shook myself out of my forgiving reverie. "We are going to kill you now."

It laughed, a harsh, arrogant laugh. "Yes? You think you have the strength to do it?"

I glanced at Eirika, received a matching glance. "Yes, we can and will do it. You will die this day."

"I am the Demon King! I cannot die!" With another triumphant laugh, it teleported to the back of the hall, and I saw that as he had been talking, monsters had been creeping up out of the black depths below the temple to take defensive positions on the narrow walkways that led us to him.

"Let's go, Ephraim!" Eirika cried, seeing as I did that there were two routes to go. "You can go that way. I'll go this way." I almost told her off for giving me directions, but I saw a certain logic in her impetuous outburst: if we took both routes simultaneously, no monsters would escape to attack the wounded in camp.

They were advancing on us, and I gave quick orders. "Myrrh, with me. Kyle, Forde, escort the healers. General Seth!" He'd been looking distractedly at Eirika. Discipline would centre him in the moment. "I'm counting on you to keep Eirika alive."

"Sir!"

"Deussel, if you would take point in the charge?"

"Certainly, Ephraim."

"I'll be right behind you. Charge!"

We smashed into their first wall, scattering skeletons into the depths. I guess they weren't entirely out of zombies, as there were a few of those lurching around, too. Sigmund pierced skeleton heads one after another, thok thok thok. They smouldered as they hit the floor.

"Incoming!" Forde shouted, and Myrrh launched herself into the air and breathed fire at another zombie dragon, but this one was much smaller than the one we had faced out side. Another bright flash was Innes firing an arrow at it, hitting it squarely in the eye. It fell apart into a pile of bones that showered into the darkness beside the path.

There were Gorgons up ahead, surrounding Lyon's platform. I glanced across at Eirika; her group was perhaps slightly behind mine, but we were both about halfway there.

"Fight on!" I called to my fighters. "We're winning!"

Even as I said that, I found myself facing a skeleton with a strangely shaped lance. I challenged it, and it dodged. Tricky one. I was rather close to the edge of the path; I would have to pull back or risk accidentally riding off the cliff.

It was taking advantage of my predicament, and it had allies lined up behind it.

Fortunately, so did I. "Innes! Little assistance here?" I knew he would rub that in later, but in battle that did not matter.

My problem was solved, and having manoeuvred Lila into a position from which I could charge again, I did so. Bones clattered to the flagstones as my lance clove through them like a hot knife through butter. A sword glanced off the leather armour on my thigh, and then an arrow pierced my off arm. I gasped but did not stop, intending to make a loop and return to the group to get that looked at.

Then I was met with a wall of purple and yellow scales, and Lila skidded to a halt. I looked up; I had never truly looked at these things before. It raised a claw and I batted it away with my lance. It hissed in pain and lunged at me; I spun the lance to hold it at bay. But it didn't attack me with teeth or claws.

I caught a glimpse of blackness, its eyes, of a void darker than dark magic spells…

I heard L'Arachel shout from across the hall, and a bright blue glow surrounded me. The Gorgon reared back, whatever spell it was casting on me broken, and hissed again.

I took advantage of its distraction and sliced upwards with Sigmund; the creature fell in a twitching purple heap.

Breathing somewhat heavily, I turned back to the group to get my arm… Wait. My arm was healed. Whatever L'Arachel had saved me from, she had healed me as well.

Only one more Gorgon to deal with, and we would have broken through to Lyon, who was patiently waiting for us, sprawled in a stone throne at the back of the hall. I gave orders, and Knoll's magic sucked the thing down into oblivion, assisted with some light and anima magic from other mages.

Seth was just cutting down the last Gorgon on the other side as I rode to confront Lyon, who rose to meet us. Eirika came swiftly to my side, and we came at him together, our weapons ready.

A spell enveloped us, rising from the floor to cover us in a black shroud. It was filled with lace-like patterns and filigree swirls – but I felt like I was having a heart attack. Lila stumbled beneath me. "Come on, boy," I urged him with a gasp. I felt the power behind the spell, somehow – it was mocking us.

And our weapons cut into the source of that mockery.

The darkness vanished, blown away into the back of the temple. Lyon coughed, tottered, and fell to the ground.

I leapt down from my horse and pulled him into a sitting position. His head fell back onto my shoulder. Eirika was also down, kneeling beside him.

He knew it was me. His eyes opened, his own violet eyes, staring into the distance. "Ephraim… I'm sorry. Everything's all right now, though, right?"

"It's all right, Lyon," I assured him shakily. He was dying. Oh, Stones, he was dying. By my hand. "I only wish… I guess sometimes I'm too ambitious for my own good, huh?" I tried to laugh, to put him at ease, but my mind was running down the paths of memory, flashing back over our short life together, the days when the three of us had been inseparable.

If I had known then, when I was so young and stupid, what I knew now… I could have helped him… Shown him he had no need to be jealous… Shown him he was strong… Eirika had tried. She knew better than I.

Lyon smiled. "That's not true, Ephraim. Ambition is a good force… Only when it turns to darkness – true darkness, not dark magic – it is not so good… I wouldn't want to keep you back just because I'm not as athletic as you are… Not as good as you are in various things…" But in anything else than athletics, he was better than I was, didn't he see that? He raised a hand as if he knew my mind. "I'm glad we were friends, though."

My throat constricted and I couldn't speak.

After a pause, Lyon managed to focus on Eirika, reaching for her hands shakily. "Eirika, you… are in love with…" He knew too? So much for Seth wanting to keep it secret. Everyone and their grandmother's evil dog knew it.

Eirika confirmed it silently, but her face was bright red.

"That's good," and he relaxed a little in my arms. "You'll be happy, I think… I have heard of him. Eirika… I just want to say – I never had the courage to say it – I wish I had – but…" He took a deep breath. "I love you." Good on him. That took more courage than many men had.

"Lyon…" Eirika said, distraught, then suddenly leaned forward and kissed him.

And he died.

I laid him down gently and stood, helping Eirika up. She was now white, but she did not cry.

I was about to reach out to her – twins should support each other, even if they're not showing signs of weakness – but the ground began to shake alarmingly.

"We're in a swamp, for crying out loud," I muttered, as Lyon's body crumbled and evaporated. An inhuman roar thundered through the temple, and I thought I saw something moving through the passage behind the throne. I waved to the army. "It's showtime!"

Not even bothering to remount Lila, I ran into the passage, Eirika at my heels. If we needed to leave in a hurry, yes, I would take the horse over my feet any day. But I just might be more mobile on my own two feet.

In the very back of the temple, there was a darkly glowing cloud, which was fading as it drifted towards the ceiling. Its passing revealed something hideous, something massive, something I had no suitable words for. Well, I did, but they were soldier words, and not fit to say aloud. Not with an army that included children.

A trickle of sweat ran down my face as I looked at it. It towered over us, perhaps three stories tall, with bulging iron grey muscles, enormous black wings and a great heavy tail, and an indescribable face framed with a pair of horns.

"Formortiis!" cried L'Arachel, bringing up a name I dimly remembered from history lessons in sunlight Grado with a lavender-haired prince and a cranky but kind old priest… "The Demon King!" Yes, I got it, thank you, L'Arachel. It was slowly becoming aware of us. Its movements were unsteady. I guess it wasn't used to its body yet. Well, I didn't intend to give it that chance.

"The Sacred Stone!" called Innes, unnecessarily. I reached out my hand to Eirika, and together we held it up. It floated up a little, and there was a piercing flash of light. If anyone had been unconvinced of the power of the Sacred Stones before, they would be convinced now that it was doing its job. Multi-coloured pale flashes and blackness streamed from where the monster's heart might be into the stone.

It settled back down into my hand, and in an instant I'd slipped it back into its bag and handed it off to L'Arachel. I figured the light-wielding Princess of Rausten would be the safest keeper for it.

Now free to fight, I cried to Eirika. "Come, Eirika!" The beast was still moving; I hoped the Sacred Stone had done its job properly. If it had, this giant lump of flesh was still going to put up a terrific fight.

I ducked and rolled, just in time to miss a sweeping blow of razor-sharp claws as long as my leg. I sprang up and plunged my lance in somewhere, anywhere. The tightly-bunched muscle resisted heavily, even with an enchanted lance. I guessed that ordinary weapons would be worse than useless against that. Speaking of which…

"Seth!" I shouted. "Get the army out of here! Only the Sacred Twin wielders can stay!"

"You're right," he said. What did that mean? But the army began slowly leaving, not wanting to miss the spectacle. Joshua flitted past me on the right, catching the Demon King's arm and getting a free ride into the air, where he dropped on its shoulder and disappeared down its back. It roared.

"Flies! All flies!" Well, it didn't seem too intelligent…

A light filled my vision, but it was not the healing light I'd known, or even the light magic spells sometimes used against me by Grado clerics. This was Hell in its purest form, and I think I staggered back, stunned, overwhelmed, blasted.

The curse ended as suddenly as it had begun. Myrrh was blocking it from me, sitting back on her hind legs, breathing fire in its face.

"Oh, daughter of the one I killed, you will regret that," growled the Demon King.

I gulped in air and took a moment to collect myself. "General Seth! What are you still doing here? Get them out of here! They can't stand an attack like that!"

"They're gone, Prince Ephraim. I think they have been convinced."

"Then why the blazes are you…"

"Ephraim. I must protect you and Eirika." He took a step closer to me – the horses were all gone with the army – and the look on his face spoke plainer than words. "I can't hurt him, but I can distract him." He was gripping his silver sword so tightly his knuckles were white.

"…Thank you. In that case, run!" We scattered in opposite directions as a claw came down on us from above.

Ice and light and black bolts shot at it, harming it. I dashed in close again, meeting unexpectedly with Eirika. We glanced at each other, and each stabbed it as high and as hard as we could reach. Above our heads, one of Innes' arrows shot at its face.

I staggered back as it let out a howl that felt like it blasted right through me as if I were paper. It didn't hurt nearly as much as the curse, but I was ready for whatever happened next.

Although I was not prepared for Myrrh's paw to shove me out of the way as she poured fire onto the… shrinking Demon King?

There was a terrific noise. I couldn't tell whether it was dark or light or both. Everything was all confused. Was I dying?

Silence.

I picked myself up off the floor cautiously. To my left, no Demon King. To my right…

Eirika flung herself into Seth's arms.

The Demon King was dead.

Long live peace and freedom from supernatural fear.

Someone whooped, and then the air was filled with more noise – laughing, talking, sighs of relief. I was not prepared for Eirika to tackle me, but I managed to keep my footing and hug her back, tightly. The most important person in my life was still alive, and her lover was alive, and we were _all_ alive dangit…

We came out back into the swamp, and found everyone waiting for us. When they saw our victorious faces, they too began to talk and laugh and run around hugging each other. The sun had come out, just as it was setting. We'd have to stay the night there.

Myrrh came up to me, holding Saleh's hand. "It's all right, Ephraim," she said, as if she knew what I was thinking. "The monsters are gone. With the Demon King's second death, they were all destroyed."

"Really? That's amazing. So we won't be bothered during the night, is what you are saying."

"No. We won't."

"Thanks, Myrrh!"

She smiled, and then wandered off in the direction of the bones of her father. I wondered if I should follow her along with Saleh, but she knelt in front of them, whispering something – telling him about the victory? And then she blew, and the bones blew away into nothingness.

She stood again, and saw me looking at her. She gave me a sad little smile, and while Saleh was lost for words, I came back over. "Myrrh. I know your home is here in Darkling Woods. But how would you like to come visit Renais sometime?"

"Visit… Renais?"

"Yes. You'd be honoured by the whole country, of course, but the important thing would be – you can visit Eirika and me. We'd love to have you and Saleh come stay with us."

"And Caer Pelyn is always open to you, Lady Myrrh," Saleh said.

"Yes, Caer Pelyn is a lot closer than Renais," I said.

"But you have people to visit," Saleh said earnestly. "Please don't be lonely, Great Dragon."

She turned to him. "Saleh…"

"Great Dragon?"

"Just call me Myrrh, like Ephraim does. I like it."

Saleh looked at her in amazement, and then at me, grinning like a brat over her head. She gave him a hug, and his face slowly blossomed into a shy smile of his own and he hugged her back.

"My work here is done," I said, and stood, looking back towards a new burst of cheering in the camp, just in time to see Eirika and Seth making out in full view of everyone.

Oh, Eirika. "Heh," I said aloud, and leaned against the side of the temple entrance.

The days ahead would not be easy. For one thing, King Ephraim sounded really weird. For another thing, Renais still lay in ruins, and though the monsters were gone, the bandits would still be causing problems. And there was the question of just how Grado was going to get along with no ruler at all.

The Demon King was finished. But our own lives were just starting.


End file.
